Do I know you?
by Happymood
Summary: HUGE DEATHLY HALLOWS SPOILERS! After George attempted suicide after the death of his twin, the Weasley family decided to give him a potion to forget everything about Fred and help him get over his misery. Until the 23 of May 2004… Please R&R!REVIEW!
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, if I did, well, Fred wouldn't have died, for example. **

**Summary: After George attempted suicide after the death of his twin, the Weasley family decides to give him a potion to forget everything about Fred and help him get over his misery. Until the 23 of May 2004…**

**A.N. This chapter will be kind of short but if you are interested in this story the next ones will be longer. I promise:)**

_Prologue_

George smiled as his last client left happily from Weasley Wizard Wheezes. Thinking how much he loved his job he started putting the money away and clean the shop for the next laborious day.

It's only been seven years since the war had ended but even if none dared to forget how the war had started, their only fear to make the same mistakes they done so long ago, everyone seemed to slowly forget the past and the terrors they had been through and decided to just live the day.

George Weasley himself was one of those people. Even if he was just 26 year old he did remember the war as he had been a member of the Order of the Phoenix, trying to put an end to Voldemort's rein of terror. He was glad no one of his family died in the Last Battle and that now every one of them was having the perfect and calm life they always desired.

And he was happy too. He truly was. Just a year before he had met the woman of his life, the only one who made him feel complete. Because until the day he met Daphne Jones he felt empty, as if something was missing. Something truly vital to him but that he couldn't really put his finger on…

Daphne made all the mysterious pain stop. Her smile and twinkling eyes. Her courage and her past of a troublemaker were balanced with his own calm, silent exterior self. They were made for each other, he knew, and he planned to ask her to marry him one day…

Suddenly the door bell sounded again and knocked him out of his thoughts.

"Sorry, we're closed!" he said, not looking up from the counter he was cleaning. Hearing someone giggle he stared up surprised at his older brother Percy. Seeing the man wide smile he couldn't help himself asking:

"Hey, what's up?"

Percy just shrugged.

"Hi, Fr-George…" Percy said, blushing a little at his slip of the tongue. George, however, didn't seem to notice and went inside to the back room to get his coat. Percy sighed and put a white envelope on the counter. "So, how's business?" the older of the two said then, loud enough, making sure his brother heard. Just then George's head popped back with a smile on his handsome face.

"Good! Perfectly well, I'll add…" George said putting on his coat. Just then his eyes fell on the envelope and he took it in his hands. "What's this?"

"Harry made _The Step_…" Percy simply said, his eyes twinkling. George stared curiously at him then he grinned.

"No!" he exclaimed.

"The wedding will be held the 30th of May and that…" he pointed at the white envelope, "…it's your invitation…."

"Fuck…" George stated simply and opened the envelope and he saw with his own eyes that Percy was not joking. "She's going to marry…"

Percy just smiled and stared at George happy face. His hearts ached a little at the thought of another as equally happy face, so similar to the one before him, and for a moment all the joy for Ginny's incoming marriage faded away. George read the invitation unsuspecting and Percy couldn't understand how he forgot everything, how they agreed him to forget.

'Oh, Fred…' Percy thought, 'I wish…'

"What is it, Perce?" George started then, noting the sudden change of emotion on his brother face. Percy looked at him surprised and for a moment, just a moment, he hoped it was Fred the one he was talking to and that George was somewhere else in the shop making sure everything was in place, as the two once used to do. But the one making the question was George and he was the only one who couldn't remember he had a fallen hero for brother, a twin, the other part of him. Percy planned many times to tell George the truth but when he came face to face with his younger brother all the courage disappeared, because, unlike seven years ago, George was truly happy now. The day of the attempted suicide always came back to him and the thought of that happening again made him stop planning, even for just a day or two. He knew everyone was living in a lie but he couldn't risk losing another brother again…

"Perce?" George started again, truly worried now.

"It's…" Percy started and cleared his throat. He tried to smile, as he always did when he blacked out before George, something that happened often and said: "I was thinking when Ginny was little…"

"Yeah…" George calmed down and smiled again, "It's feels like yesterday the day she was born, right? And now she's a woman, getting married…"

"I feel old…" Percy said and George laughed, patted him on the back and made his way out of the shop. Percy stayed where he was and looked around the place:

"George?"

"Yeah?" the younger brother stopped in his tracks and looked at Percy questionably.

"I want to work here with you…" Percy stated, "You're awful with numbers and I'm not, so I… I could be your book keeper, you know? But only if you want, George, and…"

George smiled softly at him.

"Sure, Perce… I would like some company…" he said, "And as you stated, I'm awful with numbers…" Percy laughed and embraced his brother tightly.

"May I stay in your apartment tonight?" Percy asked suddenly. "So we can apparate to the Burrow together tomorrow morning…"

"Sure…" George said, "But, you know, don't ask me to bring you breakfast in bed. First of all, I can't cook…"

"No problem, I prefer not to be poisoned first thing in the morning…" Percy joked as they stepped outside the shop, making George laugh. All of a sudden George stopped smiling and looked at Percy strangely:

"It does always disconcert me why I have two beds upstairs..." Percy avoided his eyes but didn't comment. "… one beside the other, you know? But I can't bring myself to throw it away…"

"Maybe you hoped I will come and live with you one day…" Percy started, smiling a little. George laughed:

"No way, a night okay, but a lifetime with your books all around the place? That would be suicide!" George laughed, seeing the serious face Percy was sending his way he laughed even more, unsuspecting that it was for the 'suicide' comment. "I'm joking, Perce! Jeez! You are too touchy sometimes!"

"No, I'm not!"

"Yes, you're too… now let's go and get something to eat, I'm starved!"


	2. Secrets

**A.N. Sorry for any grammatical and/or lexical errors. Let me know if I made some huge grammatical mistake, please. English is not my first language and I suck at correcting myself. **

**One other thing: ****I can't write accents, something that concerns Fleur. You'll have to imagine her speaking as she does in the books, or you'll think she suddenly learned perfect English! ;) **

_20__th__ of May. _

The Borrow was more full than usual and Mrs. Molly Weasley, who, since the day all her sons had abandoned the 'nest' to work and have a family of their own felt the house suddenly empty, was very pleased about it. She never let herself sit for even a minute, greeting one by one all her sons, hugging them tightly to her, kissing them on the cheek, making them blush madly and mumble something about how they weren't children anymore. She didn't seem to care, though. George had been the last one to have the much feared "welcome home" kiss. As all his brothers had done he started to blush madly, his face getting the exact same shade of color of his hair, and Molly seemed not only not to understand the embarrassment her son felt but seemed to be encouraged by it, hugging him as much as tightly as if she was embracing two Georges at a time.

"Mum?" George asked suddenly, his voice muffled, as his mother didn't have any intention to let him go. "Let go…"

The arms around his body relaxed and George finally breathed. Molly smiled widely at him, ruffled his hair and went to greet her only granddaughter, Victoire.

"Grandma!" the little one exclaimed at the top of her lugs as soon as her blue eyes found her and ran to hug her dearly. Fleur looked at her daughter for a moment and then smiled up at her husband, her hand on her big round belly.

"You are so beautiful!" Molly kissed Victoire soundly on the cheeks. The four year old girl giggled.

"Hello, Molly…" Fleur said and at the sound of her voice Victoire turned her head to her and smiled. Mrs. Weasley let her only granddaughter go and chase the gnomes.

"Fleur!" Molly exclaimed and kissed her on the cheek too, being careful of her expanded stomach.

George smiled as she and Fleur started chattering about her new baby and turned around to Percy, who pointed to their youngest brother bickering with Hermione far away from the other guests.

"You'll think that after their marriage they would stop bickering over the most insignificant things…" Percy said half serious half amused. George smiled and nodded.

"Some things never change, my friend…"

"Percy, George!" someone shouted just then and both brothers turned around to the source of the voice. Ginny walked calmly to them and when she finally reached them she hugged them, fortunately less tightly than their mother had done. Ginny Weasley had turned out to be a very beautiful woman and many mans had their heart broken when she turned them down. She then radiantly smiled at them, her eyes twinkling with emotion.

"Where's Harry, Gin?" Percy asked smiling down at her. She motioned somewhere in the house and explained:

"Dad dragged him to see his new computer so Harry could teach him everything about it…" then she laughed a little, "Little he knows that Harry doesn't know how to work with one too…"

"I don't know what it is but I suppose it must be another muggle invention again…" Percy stated.

"I actually understand dad's obsession with them, though…" Ginny said, "They actually are quite interesting…"

"Are you nervous, Ginny?" George asked then, out of the blue, and Ginny looked up at him surprised, but smiled quickly after regaining composure:

"Oh, no!" Ginny laughed, "I can't wait to marry! Harry and I have lived together for so many years that the idea of marriage doesn't make me nervous at all!"

George laughed and without warning hugged his sister tightly to him. The most surprising thing was, though, Ginny hugging back and whisper 'I need to talk to you…' in his only ear. But before he could ask what was wrong, because he knew there was something wrong, Mrs. Weasley ran to them and pulled Ginny away from his arms.

"Ginny! My only daughter!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed like a crazy teenage girl, "The ring! Let me see the ring!"

Ginny was happy to comply and Molly squeaked like a little girl, making little Victoire jump around them happily. George couldn't stop himself from laughing and Percy too smiled at them amused.

---

"I already prepared your rooms…" Mrs. Weasley said cheerfully, "You may stay here as long as you wish!" she added then. Everyone knew that she meant them to stay until the day she died, but both they and Molly knew that was a wish highly impossible to grant. "Oh, and George? You'll share rooms with Percy, you don't mind, don't you, dear?"

"No, mum…" George said annoyed as it was the thousand time she asked him that.

"Good! How's Daphne, dear? Is she okay? You told her she's invited to Ginny's and Harry's wedding, didn't you?"

"She's okay, mum…" George said, "…and yes I told her she's invited too. Told me to tell you she can hardly wait the moment she'll meet my family…"

"Oh, such a dear, that girl is!" Mrs. Weasley was on cloud nine, the words George had spoken to her had improved her mood more than everything else. "When Charlie's going to arrive? Is something happened?"

Mr. Weasley looked at the clock and smiled reassuringly at his wife.

"So we are going to finally meet the famous Daphne, eh?" Ron said with a grin, George looked at him. "With the awful taste you got she must be horrible!"

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed annoyed, George just smirked.

"Well, it's the same thing I told Hermione when you were going to marry…"

Hermione shot him a dirty look but anyone could see she was amused. Before Ron could retort with a sarcastic smirk of his own Harry entered the conversation and said:

"I met her!" and added: "And I assure you she's very beautiful and funny!" he smiled a little at the memory. Ron was clearly shocked by it:

"What?" he shrieked and looked at George, hurt: "_He_ met her before _I_ did?"

"I agree with Harry…" Ginny popped into the conversation, "She always knows the best jokes on earth…"

At that Ron looked back at him surprised. Hermione hid a smile behind her hand.

"I didn't do it on purpose, you know!" George started then.

"Why she never came to the shop then?" Ron asked, George rolled his eyes.

"Ron, be reasonable…" George exclaimed, "I met her _after _you stopped working with me at the shop to become an Auror…"

"Oh, he's just jealous…" Harry said winking at George, "He is dying to know how Daphne looks since you two started dating…"

"Oh, I always knew Ron was a very jealous girlfriend…" George said and he and the others laughed. Ron looked at them all.

"That's simply sick…"

"Oh, stop, Ron..." Hermione said, kissing his softly on the mouth, "They are just messing with you…".

At Ron's stupid look after the kiss George and Harry just laughed some more.

"Hey, guys…" Charlie said appearing out of nowhere. Everyone's conversation stopped as Mrs. Weasley went to hug the last guest she was expecting.

---

A knock and George already knew who was on the other side as he let go of the book he had been reading.

"Hey…" George said opening the door so Ginny could enter his room. She smiled a little embarrassed at him and did as told when George motioned her to sit beside him on his bed. "What's wrong, Gin?"

She munched her bottom lip for a moment, avoiding her brother's eyes, twisting her fingers nervously in her dress. George waited, because he knew he had to wait and Ginny would then tell him everything. He and his little sister had a special connection, more than they had with their other brothers. He didn't know why it was, maybe it was because they had more in common than with the others, or maybe it was because that deep down they were both troublemakers, but he was glad they had that extraordinary bond. It made him feel special.

Suddenly Ginny had looked up at him and had smiled softly, truly, a strange twinkling in her beautiful eyes.

"I'm two months pregnant, George…" she stated simply, as if whispering a secret and George couldn't stop himself from grinning.

"Really?" he exclaimed and Ginny nodded once, smiling too. "Oh, my god! Does anyone know? Does Harry know?"

"No, he still doesn't… you were the first one I told even though I have the strange feeling mum already knows…" Ginny said.

"Well, it's not impossible, right? She gave birth six times after all…" George laughed, Ginny joined in a little too but her smile slowly disappeared again.

"Why?" George asked then seriously, "Why didn't you told him?" then seeing her troubled look changed question: "What's wrong? Why are you so sad about it?"

"I suppose is because I'm scared…" Ginny admitted after a moment, her eyes not leaving her slender fingers. To say George was confused was an understatement. He looked at his sister surprised and then asked:

"Why?"

"What if I can't make it, George? What if I'm an awful mother?" her eyes sparkled with depression and George's heart ached seeing his strong sister who had battled against the most terrible Death Eaters so vulnerable and scared for the first time in her life. "What if they hate me?"

"Why should they hate you?" George asked then, softly smiling down at her and put an arm around her shoulders. "You are the second most awesome person I know, after me, of course…" Ginny snorted, "And you'll make a wonderful mother, I'm sure of it… and, besides, if mum made it, you have nothing to worry about!"

George could see that she was not a lot convinced but when she started smiling again he embraced her tightly to him and repeated the exact same words to her again in her ear. After a moment he let her go and grinned:

"I'm gonna have a nephew!" he stated happily.

"For all you know it could be a girl!" Ginny exclaimed angrily but seeing George laugh harder she couldn't do but chuckle too. She suddenly stood up and made for the door.

"Thanks, George…" she said and after a moment of hesitation kissed him on the cheek.

"It was nothing…" and with that Ginny closed the door behind her.

Later that evening, when everyone was ready to dine and Mrs. Weasley was humming an old song while cooking sausages, Harry had ran down the stairs two at a time, holding Ginny close to him and nearly killing himself in the process, and had exclaimed:

"Ginny's pregnant! Oh, my god! I'm going to be a father!" not believing his own words. George looked at Ginny and winked at her, she widely smiled back at him as Hermione ran to hug her, Fleur slowly joining her. Ron had patted Harry on the back and Mrs. Weasley had only a second to prevent burning their dinner as she kissed the pair two times on the cheek.

"Congratulations!" she had exclaimed cheerfully before quickly adding: "Oh, my sausages!"


	3. The photograph

**A.N. I would like to thank (yes, I know, again?) wingnutdawn for correcting those grammatical mistakes I made in the second chapter. Thank you so much!! **

**And now sorry for the next grammatical/lexical errors, because I know that there will be lots of them unless a miracle happen, but that's impossible. **

_2__2__nd__ of May _

To say Molly Weasley was excited about her only daughter's upcoming wedding was really an understatement. It was as if _she _was the one getting married and not Ginny, something that frustrated the younger woman a lot. It wasn't an unusual occurrence to see them fighting over the most trivial things concerning the wedding and whenever anyone tried to input his or her views on the matter, consequences became serious even if they only tried to stop both of them from hurting each other. It got to the point where no one wanted to know what would happen to them if they interrupted the two women while they bickered over what kind of flowers should be put on the tables or what kind of food will be served to the guests and so they let them be. However questions like those ran wildly throughout the house daily, as if mother and daughter couldn't find a perfect solution for them, and everyone was, to put it simply, sick and tired of hearing the same arguments over and over again. That was one of the main reasons that that morning everyone tried to escape the Borrow mumbling something about 'work' and disappearing with a loud 'pop' from sight as soon as Molly would show up with four albums full of photos of her own wedding day under her armpits.

Unluckily for them Ron and Harry didn't hear her come down the stairs as they were too engrossed in the chess game they were playing than with the happenings in their own house.

"Check!" Ron exclaimed somehow proud of himself and Harry shot him a dark look before concentrating on his pieces again. Ron face fell as Harry found a way to turn the game on his side. "You were just plain lucky…" Harry just snorted.

"Oh, there you are!" Molly exclaimed while putting two of her photo albums on the table. Startled, Harry and Ron screeched and looked up at her with as equally widened eyes. "I need someone to go in the attic to search for my lovely wedding dress…" she started opening one of the albums and pointing to a large photo of her dancing with her husband. "See?" she looked at the photo and her eyes filled with melancholy, "Oh, my, how I loved that dress..."

Ron exchanged meaningful looks with Harry and as one they slowly stood up from the table. Slowly, very slowly.

"Mum, we're heading off to open the shop!" George exclaimed just then as he was coming down the stairs. Harry looked at Ron as Molly's attention concentrated on George for a moment.

Now!

"Ron? Harry?" Molly said then then and the two looked at her sheepishly.

Shit…

"Yes, mum?" Ron asked, his voice sweeter that usual, but when Molly opened her mouth he quickly added: "Oh, I am so sorry, but Harry and I must go to work now, ehm…" Ron looked at Harry who nodded, "Okay, see you later!" and they disapparated leaving Molly speechless on the other side of the table. George watched as the two disappeared and cursed to himself as Molly turned around sharply to him and his brother Percy.

"Okay then…" Mrs. Weasley said recovering quickly from the shock, "George? Percy? I know that you must leave for work too, even if it's Saturday, but I really need you now…" and she took George's arm, hard, something that meant that if he dared to disapparate now he would have the privilege of testing the feeling of being alone with his enraged mother on his skin. Suicide, really.

'Pop'! Percy had disapparated. Molly turned to the source of the sound and George's face darkened.

'Traitor…' he thought angrily and he felt someone apparate beside him.

"Clients can't wait, now, can they George?" Percy whispered warily in his only ear and, if that was possible, George's face darkened even more as Percy disappeared again.

'Traitor!' he felt his mother hold on his tighten and he knew he was trapped. Molly turned around to him and with a soft smile that clearly said 'don't let me down, now' she let him go and collected the rest of her photo albums.

"I guess it's you and me then…" she said, "I need to find my old wedding dress. It's so beautiful…" she started slowly going up the stairs. "…I'm sure Ginny will love it!"

George sighed loudly and followed his stubborn mother in the attic.

---

George looked around the filthy place once more but there was no sign of his mother's old wedding dress. He coughed again as dust filled his lungs again and looked at his mother as if he had been betrayed.

"Mum…" he tried to say for the last time, "There is nothing here, we looked everywhere!"

"Oh, don't be so lazy, George…" Molly said opening an other dusty trunk, "I'm sure is here, somewhere... it's a pity I put a spell on it so no one could steal it from me or I could have _accio_ed it long ago… keep searching, George!" she bellowed as he made to sit on an enormous chest.

"I'm searching! I'm searching!" he spat back and kneeled down to open the trunk he was going to sit on. He coughed again as dust rose in the air. When the view was clear from dust again he spotted some old photo albums lying down at the bottom of the chest, as if welcoming him, asking him to take then and see. What exactly, he did not know. He stared at the writing on one of them: _'19..'_, the last of the numbers not clear enough to be read, and slowly took it out from the trunk. He shot a look at his mother, who didn't seem to notice him not searching for the dress and cautiously opened the photo album on a casual page.

And there it was: the photograph was old and it seemed someone had cried over it but the people in the frame were clearly visible. There were two seven year old boys identical down to the last freckle, with the exact same grin in their face, waving cheerfully at the camera. There was a three years old girl running wildly around but George paid her no attention, focused as he was on the two boys in the center. They looked just like him when he was at seven years old, but yet again he felt that only one of them, the one on the left was himself. The other was not familiar, which was very odd, because the two boys were identical, even in the pose and smile. George started at him and the boy grinned widely back at him then told something to his twin brother who laughed.

George felt his head spin as he started at the unfamiliar face on the photo. Why that boy, just _that boy_ and not the other affected him so much? He stared then at the letters on the boys's handmade sweaters. The one on the right, the one that troubled George so much had an 'F' on it, the other, that George somehow knew it was he himself, had instead a 'G'. He made to inspect the photo some more but felt it being ripped from his hands by none other than his mother. He looked up at her, confused. His head was hurting, maybe for the dust inhaled, and she looked down at him, her face showing nothing but plain fear as she held the photo tightly on her chest.

"M..mum?" George asked standing up, he was more confused as ever as he felt her body tense under his touch. He let her go and started at her frightened face. "Who are they?"

"They…" Molly looked at the photo and her eyes filled with tears, "They are…" she had problems speaking, it was as if her throat had closed for good, "They are my… my brothers…" she said then and George felt himself relax: "Gideon and Fabian Prewett…" she said and finally looked at the photo, "See? Gideon…" and he pointed at the boy with the 'G' on his sweater, "And… and Fr… and Fabian, here…" and pointed at the one who was grinning madly at the camera. George smiled and finally saw the girl laughing and playing around:

"And that's you?" he asked amused and Molly smiled a little, nodding once. "Wow, your brothers, I mean my uncles, seem so much like me, don't they?"

Molly shot another frightened look at him but relaxed again under his soft and unsuspecting smile.

"Y..yes…" she said and her eyes filled with tears once more. George noticed it and hugged her tightly to him.

"You miss them, don't you?" he said and felt his shirt suddenly wet as his mother hugged him back, crying freely now. She let out a muffled 'yes' and George wanted to see the photo again but his mother pushed him suddenly away.

"I… I think you should go to the shop now…" she said.

"And the dress?" he asked surprised but Molly shrugged.

"Leave the dress!" Molly said and smiled a little to him, "I'll find it on my own. I think I know where I put it…"

"So I may go?" George said confused.

"Yes, yes…" and pushed him away. "No need to stay anymore!" Molly said, "You are only wasting your time here!"

George looked back at her for a moment before nodding and climbing down the stairs. The last thing he saw was his mother clutching the photo on her chest while more tears streamed down her beautiful face.

---

Later that evening when George climbed back to the attic, the chest filled with photo albums was nowhere to be seen.


	4. Gred and Forge?

_22__nd __of May (second part)_

Molly watched with her heart pounding frantically in her chest her son finally descended the stairs without another question. She clutched the photo tightly against her, feeling that if she concentrated hard enough, she would feel the Fred's heart in the photograph beat against her own. It seemed like that simple gesture would make her forget Fred was gone and that he was there instead, embracing her while telling her how stupid she was crying for such a stupid thing.

She knew it was stupid but for a slight moment she wished that the one who had discovered the photo was Fred and that George was somewhere else, maybe in the kitchen, playing chess with Ron as they used to do in those boring summer days, when Harry wasn't staying at the Borrow.

The vision remained for a second or two inside her heart before it was replaced by plain fear. A second later and George would have discovered every lie. Would have remembered his twin, the other part of his soul. Would have remembered that Fred was killed. Would have tried to…

To….

Again…

Molly suddenly felt the wetness on her cheeks. Her hands trembled. She felt as if she couldn't breathe anymore as memories of _that day_ came back to her, all at once, not letting her shove the memory back into the realm of the forgotten.

She still remembered that day. Oh, god, would she ever forget it? That day when she was going to lose another son? This time because _he wanted_ to?

She still remembered she was making lunch in the kitchen that day, whistling something stupid. She remembered Ron suddenly appearing out of nowhere. She still remembered her youngest son's hands, bloody from when he tried to see what was wrong with George, as Ron had cried, pleading his mother, anyone, to come and help him!

"George! There's something wrong with George!" he had shouted, looking at his bloody hands as if it was him who urged his brother to do such a thing. Could she ever forget Ron's eyes that day, full of fear and shock? His voice still ringed in her head. She could still hear the terror in his voice.

She still remembered when she saw George lying on his bed in his apartment on the second floor of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. George had been lying on his bed and seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Nothing about that picture seemed wrong at first, Molly remembered, before the silver blade caught her eyes and she had screamed while watching her son slowly leaving this world.

"But when I tried to wake him up as clients were waiting outside for the shop to open he wouldn't move…" Ron had explained that day, as they waited for George to wake up, outside his room in St. Mungo's. "He wouldn't move, wouldn't stir. I tried to move him and look down at him, because I thought: 'Maybe he's pulling one of his tricks again…' and then I saw them…" Ron's voice had cracked then, "…the wrists…" and had stopped as if it was nothing but a bad dream he didn't want to remember.

The news that George had tried to kill himself had been a shock to every member of the Weasley family. Harry too had been stunned by such a tragic event.

"I still can't believe he tried to do such a thing…" he had said sitting down beside Ron, his eyes blank. "I never thought he could be capable of such…".

Molly still thought that if Ron had discovered George a moment later than he actually did they would had lost him forever.

In those interminable hours waiting at St. Mungo's Molly had a gut feeling that when George would wake up he would do it again and soon her fears had proved right. Because when George woke up, regardless he was still weak from all the blood lost, he had tried to stand up and reach for his wand.

It had been Percy that saved him just in time then.

She was glad George couldn't remember any of it now. All the ghosts that haunted him in the past had disappeared from his twinkling eyes and Molly wanted to see him laughing and joke forever. And now George by the skin of one's teeth had been on the point of living the tragedy all over again. Molly had forgotten about that trunk of photos in the attic. If she would have remembered she would never had asked George to help her find her old wedding dress.

Molly looked at the photo and Fred smiled at her, mischief written all over his face, and then made to say something to George in his ear.

She cried even more.

She couldn't let herself lose another son.

The photos must go.

---

George apparated just in time to see Percy dive beside the counter to hide and save his life from him. Strangely enough George just smiled and coughed to get Percy's attention.

"I'm not angry with you…" George said with a friendly smile as a client looked worriedly at the point where Percy was hiding. The woman looked at him and without an explanation left the shop immediately. George sighed: "Now I am…" and watched as the client hurriedly closed the door behind her.

Percy came out from his hiding place and looked at him.

"You know how mum gets! You would have done the same exact thing!" he exclaimed and George smiled a little.

"I know…" he said then and made to close the shop for the day. Percy looked at him worriedly, for a moment thinking George wanted to kill him without any witnesses catching him in the act. George mind wasn't on how he would murder his brother slowly and painfully but was instead focusing on that photograph he stumbled across that morning. The smiling faces of Fabian and Gideon still burned before his eyes. Why he thought about them so much? Have they been so important in his life when he was younger and couldn't remember?

"Have you ever met our uncles Gideon and Fabian?"

To say Percy was surprised by such a question really was an understatement. He blinked at George once or twice before opening his mouth to answer.

"No, they died before we could meet them. Killed by Death Eaters if I remember correctly…" Percy enquired his eyebrows, "Why?"

George nodded. So they hadn't been important in his life. He hadn't met them. So what was troubling him so much? There was something else about them, something he knew was waiting to wake up in his mind but he couldn't put a finger on it. It remained there in his soul, in his heart, and it upset him that he couldn't name the feeling, the memory.

"Nothing…" George said then and smiled, "I saw a photo of them in the attic while I was looking for that old wedding dress…"

"Photo?" Percy was confused then understanding came and he knew what was George was talking about.

"Yeah!" George exclaimed, "I didn't know they existed either! There was one of our uncles and they seemed so…" George stopped, "…so funny and… oh, god, it's a pity they died! I would have liked to meet them…"

Percy looked at him, his heart beating furiously in his chest.

"I want to see the photo again…" George softly said and his eyes wondered blankly ahead of him.

"It was just a photo, George…" Percy abruptly said and George snapped his head up and looked at his brother who was still speaking: "No need to upset yourself about it…"

"Yes… just a photo…" George said, not really believing the words himself, and made to clean the shop for the next working day.

"Anyway, did you find the old wedding dress then?" Percy said then and George smiled a little.

"What? Still scared she would ask you to help her find it?"

"No!" Percy smiled. "So I can go home then? Aren't you playing one of your tricks on me?"

"No, Percival…" George laughed, "Today I'm not in the mood… go home if you want. She won't bother you with that stupid wedding dress anymore…"

"Okay, then…" Percy said a little unsure about trusting George words or not. "Okay…" and with a loud 'pop' he disappeared from sight. George cleaned something sticky a child had dropped on the floor while he was helping his mother and that Percy hadn't bothered to scrub off.

He whispered a cleaning spell on it and stared at the clean floor under him. The letters on the sweaters came back to him.

"Oh, stop it, George…" he said to himself then making his way to his apartment upstairs. "As Percy said it was just a photo… nothing more, nothing less…".

"_You haven't got a letter on yours. I suppose she thinks you don't forget your name. But we're not stupid - we know we're called Gred and Forge…" _

As the phrase came back to him his wand fell on the floor and he repeated the words in his mind over and over again. Somehow he knew that he had said something along those lines once long ago. His hands trembled without a reason why he should fear the words so much.

Gred and Forge?

He repeated the names but they didn't mean anything to him.

Nothing at all.

He felt dizzy.

Was he sick?

Slowly the words faded into nothing and even if the quote was scrubbed off his mind only the names remained impressed somewhere within him. But he didn't remember what they meant. He couldn't remember. And let the thing go... for the moment.


	5. 23rd of May

_23__RD__ of May 3:43, night_

The room was dark, silent but warm. George knew where he was but for a moment he thought he shouldn't be there in first place. He didn't live at the Burrow, not anymore…

'Oh, yeah…' he thought, slowly opening his eyes: Ginny's wedding. That was why he was in his old room snuggled down in the bed he had while growing up.

Oddly enough, the Burrow seemed unusually silent, it wasn't normal for his tastes. He couldn't hear his brother's snores in the dark and even the strange noises the ghoul sometimes emitted at night were hushed. Something wasn't right: it was as if he was the only one living there. Something felt missing.

No, it felt as if someone was missing.

He looked around carefully in the dimness as he slowly started distinguishing the darkened forms of his surroundings and he finally noticed the other bed on the other side of his room was strangely undone and empty. He figured that Percy couldn't sleep either. George wondered what woke him up anyway? Realizing it may just be the thirsty feeling he had, he slowly stood up and exited the bedroom. 

In the strange silence that surrounded him the creaking noise the stairs made under his feet was music to his ears and when he made his way to the kitchen he noticed there was a dim light that seemed to be flickering which indicated someone else was up and waiting for him in the darkened room. He wasn't alone.

'Must be Percy…' George thought now wide-awake and he entered the kitchen. But the person waiting for him wasn't his brother.

George stared surprised at the boy who looked to be the same age as him sitting down on a chair writing furiously down something in a little red book. He gasped as the man raised his head to him and smiled, stopping what he was working on for just a moment.

George grabbed onto the wall beside him as his head started spinning, making him feel light-headed, nauseous and sick. The man sitting on the chair before him was the exact duplicate of himself.

It was him down to the last freckle, even the hands were the same as his, the nose, the colour of the eyes…

And at the same time it wasn't him at all.

George didn't recognize the smile though and the sparkle in the other man's eyes wasn't quite the same as his. The man before him seemed more confident and secure about himself, somehow a little harder than he was, more impulsive. George could see everything in his double's eyes. 

George was sure that he wasn't like the man before him, even if they were  
identical in looks.

He didn't know who the man was. Why they resembled each other so much.

And yet the scene before him was too familiar enough to allow him to feel comfortable.

"Are you okay, George?" the man asked with concern and the dizziness George felt up till that moment vanished. The scene became more familiar than ever. For a second he knew he had already lived those moments. He knew he had already heard that voice, those words. He thought he recognized that smile now, it was familiar, he had a vague feeling he had seen that man before him. But he couldn't understand when or why. George wasn't sure as to how he knew the man and after a moment of hesitation, he decided to answer the question: 

"Yes …I think so."

The red headed man, who resembled George so closely, actually smiled and started to write again in his notebook. George looked at the little red thing inquiringly with raised eyebrows and the man, as if reading his mind, replied to his silent inquiry:

"A new invention…" the man said, "For the joke shop…" as if that explained everything. The impression that he already lived that scene became more certain by the second and George decided to risk everything and sit down at the table across from his duplicate. He knew the man was watching him with the corner of his eyes but he dared not to say anything for the moment.

"Are you sure you're okay?" the phrase startled him but George pretended to feel normal and shrugged an assertive answer. The man clearly didn't believe him and he stopped writing once again, studying George's face with a look of pure concern.

George looked at that face, taking in every feature, every detail. It was his face. He was looking at his own face. George finally realized he was dreaming of his subconscious. Something inside him wanted him to comprehend something.

What though?

The man, who, George was sure, was just an image of himself, continued staring at him, searching for something in his eyes, something that George didn't know was there.

"We are not going to die, George…" the man finally said, the seriousness in his voice sounded foreign to George.

Then suddenly darkness took him once more and he woke up with a start in his bed dripping with a cold sweat. The ghoul's laments filled his ear. Percy's snores broke the silence. The house creaked.

And the man was nowhere to be seen.

George stared at Percy's sleeping form on the other side of the room for a second or two. It was just a dream… just a dream….

Just a dream.

---

_23__RD__ of May 8:30, morning_

Molly Weasley prepared breakfast in absolute silence. Usually she would whistle or sing to herself something joyful but that day, as every 23rd of May for the past seven years, she couldn't utter a word. It was as if all the pain she suffered _that fateful day_ would return to her, making her experience those horrible moments all over again. Yet year after year the pain would lessen but she knew it would never vanish completely. A mother shouldn't bury her own child. It still hurt that she had been one of those parents.

Many people had reminded her that she still had five other gorgeous and sane sons and an amazing daughter and that she should feel happy about it. She had spat and cursed them immediately: what did they knew about pain? Every son of hers was precious.

"What about George?" she remembered an old obnoxious lady told her once: "He's Fred's twin, right? They were the same. Surely, just looking at him wouldn't necessarily make you miss the other boy…"

How Molly cursed that day! Yes, they had been twins. But George was George. And Fred was Fred. They were unique.

"I'm going to visit Teddy if you don't mind…" Harry said suddenly, breaking the silence. Molly looked at him with the corner of her eyes and then at the still full plate sitting before him. Harry kissed Ginny and disappeared with a loud 'pop' from sight before Mrs. Weasley could say a thing about him not eating anything at all. Ron and Hermione looked at each other for a moment before excusing themselves from the table to go and join their best friend also.

"I haven't seen that little boy for ages!" Mr. Weasley said pretending to sound cheerful. "I wonder if his hair is still green…" he added as he continued reading the paper.

"Isn't it strange he can change every detail of his face but the eyes?" Charlie said sounding really amused. Ginny laughed a little but didn't make any comments.

"He's a half-metamorphomagus…" Bill said, "What did you expect?"

"Stop gossiping about Teddy, it's not proper. Not today…" Molly snapped, speaking for the first time that morning and everyone in the room stopped talking once more. "It's like gossiping about your brother Fred and… George!"

She stopped immediately and Bill exchanged glances with Charlie but dared not to speak as their brother walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning everyone…" George said as if on cue and he looked down at the table, feeling a little uneasy, before making up his mind and sitting down. Molly turned around quickly to him quickly and looked at him as if expecting to see someone else but then smiled lovingly at him as usual.

"Good morning, George!" she said as all the other members of the family looked at George with the corners of their eyes for a single moment before they too greeted him good morning. "Slept well?"

He looked at her for a moment and simply shrugged. He stared at his breakfast but he wasn't really hungry. The man from the dream he had still troubled him, making the simple process of eating difficult. 'We are not going to die…' what did that mean? It didn't make any sense! George groaned and stood up from the table.

"Excuse me…" he said and ran up the stairs. He heard his worried mother calling his name but he slammed the door to his bedroom shut before she could ask him any unwanted questions. The cheerful eyes of the unknown man flashed before him and with a start he realized he was looking at the mirror. His surprised reflection stared back at him. Why did he dreamed of himself? What did it mean?

Never a dream troubled him so much as it did that day. It infuriated him. It was the same sensation one feels when he knows others are hiding something from him and yet he couldn't understand what it was or why. But, surely, none was hiding something from him, right? His family didn't have any reason to hide something from him. He was exaggerating what he had experienced in the dream…

…right?

Suddenly a vision formed before his eyes and there they were: himself and the man he dreamed of, younger, sitting on his still unmade bed.

George tried opening and closing his eyes a few times but the vision wouldn't go away.

"Must I always be the one who tests this things?!" his younger self suddenly said and George stared at the seventeen old boy for a moment, startled that the vision would actually talk and he would hear him.

"Oh, come on George! I'll try the next one, promise…" the other boy said and offered a purple candy to the other, younger George (George had a gut feeling that boy was really his younger self) who took the candy in his hand and without a sound ate it. The other one stared at him expectantly, waiting for something to happen.

"So?" the red headed boy said and George looked at him with an expectant look on his face.

"Needs improvement…" George said and then his nose opened and it started bleeding badly until both boys' shirts were red with blood.

"No it doesn't!" the other one said grinning. His grin faded as he asked: "George? Are you all right?"

The younger George's face was pale. The other boy's look of triumph rapidly changed to panic and stood up from the bed.

"Oh, my god!" the boy cried out as he tried to clean the blood from George's face. "Oh, my god! _George_!"

_Thump, thump, thump!_

And as quickly as it has come, the vision disappeared. George turned abruptly and stared at the door as if, for a moment, it was from another planet. The frantic knocking on the door paused.

"George, are you okay?" it was his brother Charlie. George looked over at the point where the two boys had stood a moment before and a shiver ran down his spine:

"Yes, I am…" he stated simply. What else could he say?

That he was going crazy?


	6. Percy's decision

When Charlie gave up trying to get George to open the door and finally returned to the rest of the family, George let out a sigh and slithered down on the floor, using the door to support his back. He looked over again at the point where his vision had disappeared a moment before, fearing for a single moment that there would be another George Weasley there sitting on his bed, waiting to talk to him. When nothing of the sort happened he exhaled noisily and ran a hand through his ginger hair.

He was starting to suspect he had accidentally dropped a bottle of Illusion Potion (a new invention from the joke shop) the day before and hadn't noticed when he remembered that the potion in question didn't make their victims see themselves chat happily over a cup of tea with their identical double.

Maybe he hadn't slept enough, or had eaten something he shouldn't have, but then again his mother was an excellent cook and never before had something she made make any of her sons think they had lost their minds or go crazy!

But then again he was very sure that the images he had seen had been actual memories of his past. He remembered tasting one of those purple candies (famously known now as Nosebleed Nougats) before in his seventh year.

Fact was that back then he had been _alone_.

He was positive about that. At least he was sure that no clone had screamed his name as he was bleeding. No, there couldn't have been a George number two who had remained at his side and prevented his death.

Now that he thought about it…

George closed his eyes.

…who had been the one to save him from dying? Somebody must have been present or at least came into the room at the right time.

Surprisingly, that was the part of the memory he couldn't remember. Well, he thought shrugging to himself, maybe he had been unconscious or maybe too shocked from loss of blood to comprehend who had been the one to save him.

But the point was that the vision had shown his real past, even if not as he actually remembered it. Or did it? George felt like he was going to go insane as he tried to pierce together what was happening to him.

George opened his eyes again and slowly stood up. Nonsense, he thought, that was ridiculous. Something, someone was playing with his mind. Maybe he actually inhaled an Illusion Potion without noticing. Yes, that's must be it: it was an illusion. A fantasy. And yet (the concept made him shiver in cold sweat) what if it was real? What if the things he had seen had actually happened?

What if the man he dreamed had actually existed?

But then again no one in his family seemed to remember that once there was a boy his age, identical to George in looks who had run freely in the house! He too would have known! His family would have talked about him! And if that wasn't the case why wasn't with them anymore? What had happened to him? Someone, anyone would have mentioned him if he had been real and that didn't seem to be the case. It was ridiculous. The man _wasn't, couldn't_ be real.

It was all fruit of his imagination. Maybe he felt alone or something and invented another George as kids sometimes do. But he couldn't ignore the fact that he was a grownup not a kid anymore.

He slowly opened the door and with uncertain steps he decided to return to the kitchen but when he finally arrived there was no one in sight. George heard them talking outside but the idea of taking two more steps out the door to join them to the backyard was inconceivable. And then again he would have some explaining to do and he did not have the courage nor had the strength to tell them what had bothered him so much in the morning.

Not now, not ever.

_Sshhhhssshhhh__…._

The strange sound took George out of his thoughts and as he snapped up and he stared in disbelief at it's source, his heart started to beat furiously again. Because there they were again, the vision had returned, but this time the boys in question were even younger than the last time he imagined them. George thought they could be around twelve. He blinked in puzzlement as one of them had a firework in his hands, ready to explode.

'That's were the sound was coming from!' was his only thought before the other boy started talking, looking right and left nervously:

"You shouldn't have lit it!" he exclaimed but his twin was too preoccupied with the dangerous toy in hand.

"It was your idea!" the boy exclaimed, his eyes widening with fear.

_Sshhhhssshhhh__…. _the noise became louder and more dangerous. The firework was going to blow up at any second now.

"Yes I know, sorry about that, but we got to get it out of the kitchen!!" the boy exclaimed as he stared at the firework in his twin's hand.

_Sshhhhssshhhh_

Becoming more terrified the boy then yelled in panic:"Let it go! LET IT GO!"

The twin did as told and the firework flew from his hands, randomly crushing everything in the kitchen.

"GEORGE!" the one who hadn't lighted the firework exclaimed in terror and dived, taking his double with him, as the firework pointed towards them, narrowly missing them, before making a hole in the wall behind them and disappear with a loud 'pouf'. The two boys stood up from the floor and looked at the white fume that had formed, stunned.

"Oh, my god, Fred, mum's gonna kill me!" George said, fear ruining his young features. George's eyes widened. Fred? Why the name sounded so familiar? The one named Fred looked at his twin then at the hole the firework had made a moment before.

"No, she won't!" he said and quickly took a knife from the counter and ran to the spot where the firework disappeared. George followed him, shocked.

"Are you mad?!"

But Fred didn't answer just quickly carved his initials under the freshly large hole with a determined look on his face. George quickly followed him and took the knife from his hands but the initials F.W. were already clearly visible. George looked at him and then started carving his name as well.

"Oi!" Fred cried out in dismay.

"I won't let you be punished in my place!" the young George exclaimed and with that the new vision disappeared again. George sat on a counter and stared at the point were the hole should have been but there was an old family photo covering it. He undoubtedly didn't remember that memory but the thought that maybe everything he was seeing could be real burned holes in his heart.

He felt afraid. What if he went and removed the photo and saw his vision's name engraved on the wall beside it? Would that mean everything was real? Did that, what was the mysterious boy's name again? Ah, Fred…- man really existed?

Why then he didn't remember him? They seemed to hang out were he was little, what was the meaning of this?

"Hush!" George shouted silently to the turmoil in his mind, '_It's not real_ now, I'll remove the photo and nothing will be hiding behind it!' and with determination but with his shaking hands betraying his real emotion he approached the photo. He stared at the smiling faces: they were his mum and dad, on their wedding day. His fingers were shaking and he unconsciously gulped but then he finally removed the photo from its place on the wall. He was scared of what he could discover and he gasped in shock as he made out the gap the firework of his vision had created.

So it was real.

It had happened.

He touched the hole and then his fingers lingered on the names shaped under it. He closed his eyes shut and he felt like drowning. The initials felt rough under his fingertips.

F.W.

F.W.

F.W.

The boy had existed. Everything was real. But then what happened to him? What happened? Why couldn't he remember him? Why did no one seem to remember him? Who was this Fred?

"George?" his name was whispered and George quickly opened his eyes and turned around to the source of the voice, hiding the engraved names behind his back. It was Percy. "George?"

Maybe his brother would know? Maybe he remembered a boy he used to play with when he was young, so identical in looks with him, yet so different?

"I'm having strange visions…" George finally said so quietly Percy thought it was a miracle he heard him. George's voice shook: "I thought I was going crazy, then now I realized everything was real…"

Percy was confused and approached his younger brother, his eyebrow rose enquiringly.

"What are you talking about? Are you sick? Do you need something?"

George shook his head no but did not move from his place. Percy moved towards him and looking him directly in the face he moved the younger man so he could finally see what George was hiding. He gasped at the hole on the wall, then at the names conserved in time under it.

"Who is he, Percy?" George said desperately. "Who is he?"

Percy looked at him and the hope that George would stop forgetting his twin glowed in his heart. But then he had sworn not to say anything. Even if the desire to tell George was so hard to suppress he couldn't talk.

"Who is he?"

Percy remembered the doctor's words: "If he seems to remember something, anything, give him this…" and gave Mrs. Weasley a bottle containing a deep white liquid. "…and he will forget everything again. It's a one time use only". That was seven years ago and the potion was still somewhere in one of the bathrooms. They didn't sell it anymore, after a decision against using it for morality sakes. It was now or never. George suddenly, mysteriously seemed to start to remember and the only chance they got for him was with that last bottle of potion.

Percy looked at George then at the hole.

"I don't know what you're talking about, George…" he said, hating himself for deliberately deceiving his own brother:

"I seriously don't know…".

George seemed to relax for a moment but then his eyes saddened and nodded at his brother who was already lost in thought. Percy shot him one last agonized look and then discretely ran to the bathroom. He shut the door behind him and opened a drawer. The bottle was there ready to be used. He sighed. Was he doing the right thing? He looked at the white liquid. He didn't understand why George suddenly started to remember and he had a feeling the cause was the photograph he had talked so excitedly about the day before. But then again it could be anything. Mind works in complicated ways; he remembered Mr. Lupin say once.

Percy took the bottle's top off. He felt torn, did he take it back to give to George and say it would help him or…

"Oh, George…" Percy sighed, "I know you'll suffer for what I'm going to do now, please don't hate me when the time comes and you finally remember everything…" and with that thought he made an irreversible decision, he emptied the potion in the basin and with a flick of his wand vanished the now drained container.


	7. Interlude

**AN: I see I confused a lot of readers with this chapter, so listen (or read :)) this is BEFORE George had every memory of Fred deleted from his mind. **

Happymood

_Even now, as I'm writing this letter and know exactly what I'm going to do, I feel like it isn't me__…_

George splashed cold water on his face and then held onto the sink with his two hands as he slowly raised his head up to stare up at his reflection. For the millionth time since Fred was gone he was surprised to see his face in the mirror before him: it looked too pale, too miserable to be him.

It couldn't be him.

He studied the dark circles under his eyes intently and then at his one and only ear, the only reminder that before him stood George and not his twin Fred Weasley.

He then remembered what was said when he had lost his ear, "Saint like,"

That was what he said when his ear was sliced off. "You see ...I'm holy. Holey, Fred Geddit?" For a moment he was happy and smiled as he remembered his twins comment: "Pathetic! With the whole wide world of ear-related humour before you, you go for holey?"

His smile faded as he remembered that indeed they would never see or joke with each other again while a new feeling of nausea overtook him, making him throw up everything he had eaten, or was made to eat at least, in the sink before him. He looked up at the mirror again and with a rush of anger and disappointment, smashed his fist into the mirror and shattered it into a rain of glass which poured all over the place. His hand was bloody but he did not feel any pain and feeling suddenly weak instead George fell down on his knee and started to cry again.

_Would, I continue to __talk to my image, the George who once was a part of a set still think the way the new one does? And yet again I find the question absolutely ridiculous because that George is already gone, had been from the moment he saw Fred's body lying lifeless on the floor of the Great Hall._

"George…" Molly called out while knocking softly on the bathroom door. She put an ear against the wood door so to hear what was going on inside but there was only silence.

"George, please, open the door…" she pleaded and moving back away from the opening door she gasped as the ghost of her son, George, stood there, his face showing nothing but apathy, his face paler than before he had entered the restroom. Molly felt her head sink down away from the sight of her boy's dull hopeless looking eyes looking blankly at her and then he turned away from here and made his way to his room: he was nothing but a phantom.

_I can't laugh, I can't joke as I used to.__ It's meaningless…_

George stood before the door of his old bedroom and put a hand on the knob. He shivered as he thought of all the memories he would find there. Of all the things Fred had left behind, to see his bed, his trunk, his clothes. George felt his eyes sting as new tears streamed down his face. But when he found the courage to open the door he did not dare to look anywhere else but his own side of the bedroom. He took what he needed and immediately disapparated from the Burrow.

_It is as if my soul had been ripped apart and only my body remained behind with __the living. _

"Oh, hi, George!" Ron said as soon as he apparated into the shop. George nodded to his brother and Ron tried to smile, forcing himself to think that if he continued to do so George would remember how to live. "While you were away Lee asked for you."

George looked at his little brother, who was helping him with the joke shop for the time being and nodded:

"Okay…" was his only response. Ron felt a little disappointed by the answer but he knew that he couldn't extract something more helpful for George either.

"Maybe we should close for the day…" Ron suddenly said, a little more angrily than he should have. George was being so selfish. Why couldn't he understand he was hurting everyone with his miserable antics?

George stared at him and collapsed on the first chair he put his hands onto and without another word he hid his face in his hands. It was in that moment that Ron noticed the bloody bandage around his hand. The younger man moved quickly over to George and took the injured hand in his and looked incredulously at George swollen face.

"What happened, George?" Ron asked worriedly, "Are you alright?"

George didn't answer right away but instead ignored the anxious looks he was getting from his younger brother.

"I'm okay, Ron!" George finally snapped and stood up from his chair. "It was an accident, okay? Go ahead and just close this goddamned place!" and then marched off to his apartment on the second floor. Ron stared at his retreating back unbelievingly, and his face turned the same shade as his hair.

"Fine!" he cried out, "Sorry for caring about you, you know!" and without another word he disappeared from sight.

_Fred was born three minutes before me and I always thought that when he would die I would, _should_ follow soon after. And I know it's true because I know __I can't live without him_

George collapsed on his bed and listened as Ron stormed away. He felt a little guilty about snapping at his brother like that but lately every time he entered the shop he felt exhausted and incredibly livid.

_What were we planning? What were we doing? School, the shop, all those nights awake in our roo__m thinking about new inventions. What was the meaning of all that if _I _had to finish what we started all alone?_

George stared at his bandaged hand and slowly took the binding away. He stared at the blood that was still flowing for a moment.

_I can't do it. _

He stared at the blood and felt the wound itch a little. He closed his eyes for a moment and wanted nothing more than fall into the darkness that beckoned to him. He was not feeling alive.

_Every time I wake up I hope he is there waiting for me to open the shop and it hurts to realize he is gone, really gone, forever. _

"Why did you have to go away…" George said aloud. Everyone had sympathized with him but none of them knew what it felt to lose your other half, your soul mate. No one understood how alone he felt when surrounded by everyone. No one understood that the shop, his own life didn't matter anymore if his twin wasn't with him to share every victory and every failure they had _together_.

He looked at his bloodied hand again and then at his desk on the other side of his bedroom.

_I can't do it. _

He slowly stood up.

_I already waited too long. _

He took the paper knife in his hands.

_I know I'm going to hurt you__…_

He stared at the silver blade.

… _I didn't want you to be hurt…_

His mouth grimaced into a straight line on his pale face and he decided that this is for the better. For him. For his family.

…_but when this letter was being written I was already dead. _

_Forge. _

"George!" Ron yelled out when he reappeared again at Weasley Wizard Wheezes. "I'm sorry for getting angry, okay?" he waited for an answer but heard nothing. "George, please!" he climbed the stairs and stared at the bedroom door. "Please answer me! Don't be such a baby, I didn't mean it, okay?" he waited but still there was no response.

"George?" Ron whispered and decided to open the door when he received no reply.

"George why the…"

"GEORGE!"


	8. The calm before the storm

**AN: Here is the next chapter of 'Do I know?', the last, I suppose, of the year! Merry Christmas to everyone and a happy new year!! **

**Enjoy!**

**Happymood**

---------------- ----------------------- -------------------- ------------------ ------------- -------

_24__th__ May_

George was feeling terrible as he tried to recall more of last night's terrible nightmare, of which he was sure had been a flashback, yet again he couldn't quite remember it. Sighing he stared out the window of his shop watching the bustling and lively shoppers going about their daily routines. 

The small thin eleven year old boy ran as if his life depended on it and in fact that seemed just to be the case as two older, more robust boys were chasing after him, running as quickly, trying to catch the younger one with equally mean stupid grins pasted on their pig-like faces.

"Come here, you bloody git!" cried out one of the larger boys who was panting slightly from running after the smaller boy. The eleven-year-old did not respond but instead, ran even faster for dear life.

"Yeah! We don't want to hurt you, Hanson!" yelled the other large bully "We just want to have a little fun at your expense!" then they laughed wickedly at their feeble little joke. The boy dared to look behind him for a moment and seeing the two bullies were too close for comfort, panicked and tripped over a rock.

"Gotcha!" one of the two cried in delight and Hanson closed his eyes tightly, expecting to be beaten, but he felt no fists striking him but instead heard his two pursuers cry in horror, as his nostrils filled with a new disgusting, putrid odor that made him gag. Hanson then opened his eyes to find the two bullies had fled and he was face to face with a short stout red haired man who had masses of freckles across his face. He gasped and stood quickly up away from the redheaded man, who just laughed in a friendly, non-threatening manner.

"You okay, lad?" the older man asked, and the boy thought a moment before nodding his head cautiously, "Good" the older man said and grinned.

Hanson looked up at the man then looked around to make sure that his pursuers were gone, having been given a taste of their own medicine. He smiled.

"Thank you, sir! Thank you so much! You did that, didn't you sir?" Hanson exclaimed, feeling on cloud nine and felt a little surprised by the older man response.

"Stop calling me sir, lad…"George said laughing, amused by the boy, "It makes me feel old. I'm George Weasley, owner of this joke shop, by the way…".

Hanson's eyes followed the man's hand pointing to the shop on his right. He mentally read the sign, Weasley Wizard Whezzes, and then looked up at the red-haired man, startled.

"What's your moniker, my lad?"

"Jimmy Hanson, sir, I mean Mr. Weasley, sir…" the boy answered blushing. George chuckled a little then stopped immediately:

"May I ask why those two gorillas were chasing you?" he asked, as his face darkened. Hanson shrugged.

"It's their favorite game…" Jimmy said, avoiding George's eyes, "They bully me a lot at school because I'm younger and skinnier than they are, that's what my mum says, and when they chase me like that it's to treat me like a punching bag…" he looked at George for a moment before continuing: "I can't do nothing about it sir. I'm just not big or strong enough…" and his face lit up: "But you did! Oh, do tell me what you used to make them stop!"

George looked down at him and smirked: "Dungbombs!" George grinned, then said with a little mischief flickering in his eyes, "Come inside and I assure you those bullies will never touch you again…".

It was only a little while later that Jimmy Hanson exited the shop , his little arms full of pranks like dungbombs and other joke items. He smiled widely at George and ran off after thanking the older man over and over again. George smiled and when he re-entered the shop he was surprised to find someone else there that wasn't Percy.

"I see you are still really good with kids…" said a soft, feminine voice that came from beside the cashier's counter. George looked at the unexpected visitor straight into her deep warm blue, almond shaped eyes and smirked as his surprise slowly turned into something warmer.

"I just hate bullies…" George answered and made a step forward. The woman smiled and the simple gesture made her seem even more beautiful than she already was. Her eyes sparkled as her smile grew wider and she stood up slowly from the chair that she was sitting on. George laughed happily and moved quickly towards her, till he finally embraced her with all his strength, feeling her soft body against his chest.

"Daphne! You finally returned from America!" George exclaimed and tenderly caressed Daphne's long, silky black hair with his fingers. "It's been so long!"

Daphne laughed and they kissed, as they hadn't seen each other for what seemed like ages.

Daphne Jones was a beautiful woman. Born in America she had moved to England for work with no intention of returning when she was only nineteen. She was part Native American and her complexion was slightly darker than George's.

"It's been only two months, George, calm down…" Daphne told him but she too couldn't suppress her joy. She looked up at George and for the first time she frowned a little.

"You look dreadful..." she stated then and caressed George's pale face in confusion. "Did something happen to you?"

George blushed a little and avoided Daphne's eyes. Should he mention his problems to her, or his strange and unsettling visions? What would she say if he told her that he had just found out that he lost a brother named Fred, who had been in fact, his twin? Maybe some day… but not yet, not now, he didn't want to worry her with his ramblings about his mental sanity and of a person he couldn't remember properly. "No, Daphne, dear…" he smiled, "It's just that mum is stressing all of her sons with the preparations of her only daughter's wedding …" which wasn't entirely a lie.

The effect was immediate. Daphne widened her eyes and put a hand to her mouth dramatically. "No!" she exclaimed then and her eyes sparkled with amusement: "Harry _finally_ took his courage in hand and proposed?!"

"Hey!" George pouted as he punched her on the arm gently in a friendly manner, but his fake pout didn't last long, "Stop making fun of my friend's indecisions!" and then he cracked up into a fit of laugher.

"You know I couldn't help it!" Daphne laughed as well. Without warning George kissed his girlfriend again, making her laugh once more. A second later she was serious again: "Wow, that was really a new..." she stopped again and looked at George carefully:

"I _am_ invited, right?"

"Of course…" George said and Daphne beamed, "As well as my ex-girlfriend, Alicia…" he added teasingly. Daphne's grin faded but George's remained just were it was. Then she realized he was just teasing her and scolded him lovingly:

"You idiot…" and then smiled softly: "I missed you… a lot…"

"I missed you too…" he hugged her again, taking in her scent. Finally something in his life was real. He had missed that sense of security Daphne gave to him. He didn't feel like that anymore at home, not now, not after the memory of the firework incident. There, at the Burrow, he felt insecure about everything, even about himself. It felt like Fred appeared wherever he looked, even the walls seemed to say: Fred, Fred, Fred… and, really, he couldn't take it anymore. It seemed that only he remembered that boy, so alike to him, even Percy didn't seem to know who he referring to…

Wanting to stop thinking morose thoughts, George whispered: "Tell me everything that happened to you…" then he looked down at Daphne with a soft smile.

"Everything? It's a long story, you know?" Daphne said cheerfully but then she took him by the hand and led him to the kitchen on the second floor.

------------------------------ ---------------------------- -------------------------- ---------------

"I need to leave for now…" Daphne said. The sun was slowly fading away and the street before the shop was almost empty of people. George stared, as Daphne's cheeks were tinted red from the sun's last rays. "I need to go and check on the state of my apartment. My sister really is a disaster when keeping a house clean and to tell you the truth I'm almost afraid to see what moldy junk I'm going to find growing there…" Daphne sighed, "I swear at times that I'm going to throw her out someday, willing or not…"

Laugher.

"Goodbye…"

"Goodbye…"

And Daphne disapparated quickly, with a soft 'pop'.

George stared for a moment at the spot from where she had disappeared and wished he could follow her and take her again in his arms but he knew he couldn't leave the shop like that, not for two hours yet, at least. He sighed and entered the shop again.

Today seemed to have been one of the most normal days he'd had in a long while, and he wished he could turn back time just so he could have normal regular everyday occurrences once again without having those visions affecting him like they were doing. George glanced over at the spot where little Jimmy had dropped a love potion by accident earlier and took the wand out of his pocket to clear it up at last.

George wished Percy had come to help him out but remembered his brother was not daring to leave his bed that morning, moaning something about not feeling well and so on. "Really" George thought with a frown "It reminds me of that time when we were little kids and for the first time in his life Percy broke one of dad's orders…". George snorted remembering Percy had not wanted to leave his bed, as he felt guilty for having disobeyed their father.

"Since he was little he had always considered Percy the serious, humorless, responsible Weasley…" George said to himself, amused and so lost in his thought didn't hear the bell ring, which signaled that someone had entered Weasley Wizard Wheezes.

"Excuse me…"

George snapped his head up at the source of the voice and stared at the very old lady who stood before him.

"Yes, madam?" he said politely and the old lady laughed.

"Oh, my, you haven't changed at all…" she said and George inquired:

"Pardon me, do I know you?" as his eyebrows rose in confusion. The old lady just laughed again:

"I know you don't remember me, I've been away from England for seven years, but when I still lived here I remember coming here every Saturday with my little grandson…"

"I see…" George said finally smiling. "You're an old client of ours."

The old lady laughed but her grey eyes turned suddenly sad. She sighed.

"It's a pity your brother Fred is not longer here anymore…" she said and George's heart suddenly started to pound powerfully in his chest. "You were identical…" she continued, "…just like little drops of water. No one could figure out who was George and who was Fred…"

And there it was again. That name. But finally someone else remembered had been a boy named Fred.

"Well, it was to be expected…" the lady laughed amiably, "You _were _twins after all…"

"I know…" George said sorrowfully. He couldn't help himself. The words had left his mouth before he could register what he was going to say. The old lady studied his depressed face.

"Even after all these years, you must miss him a lot…" she said softly with compassion.

And there was the answer to one of the questions that had plagued him till that day. Where was Fred?

"He's gone, isn't he?" George said then. His voice was flat and barely audible but the lady heard him anyway.

"His body may have…" she said with a soft smile as she put a hand onto his shoulder making George look at her straight in her wise eyes. "But his spirit will always be with you and the ones he loved…"

"Maybe…" he answered, not really believing the woman's words. "Maybe…".


	9. Confronting family

**AN: HAPPY NEW YEAR, everyone! I hope you had a great time! Anyway, this is the first chapter of the year and I wanted to thank for the thousand time wingnutdawn, my wonderful beta, for the special help she gave me and she is still giving for this story and for this chapter in particular. **

**ENJOY! **

**Happymood**

----------------------------- ---------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

24th May. 6:37, Evening.

When George got back to the Burrow after closing the shop he didn't look at or speak to anyone but shot up the stairs to his old room, slammed the door tight and with his wand used 'colloportus' and sealed it against unwanted visitors. He was beyond being upset now and to his credit wanted to calm down and think things out before confronting his family.

He dropped his wand on the dresser top and threw himself onto the old bed that creaked and groaned as the force of George's body hit it. He lay there unmoving and stared at the ceiling while his thoughts jumbled around in confusion. He ignored the sounds of his sister, mother, father and brothers who were gathering downstairs for the evening meal. He ignored his mother when she called up the stairs for him to join them. He grabbed his wand and placed a silencing charm on his room then threw his wand back onto the dresser.

George thought about what the old lady had said. "It's a pity your brother Fred is no longer here anymore." He glared at the ceiling. "You were identical," He fought to contain the tears. "No one could figure out who was George and who was Fred." It was no use. George bawled as he realized that he wasn't imagining that he had an identical twin brother. And he was dead! A stranger, not a member of his family had told him so.

Why, why did they keep such a terrible secret away from him? All these years without knowing… A whole block of precious memories had been ripped away from him. One's he could have treasured and kept in his heart all these years. He rolled over on his bed and wrapping his arms around his pillow he pressed it against his chest as he cried himself to sleep.

--------------------------- ------------------------ -------------------- --------------------- ------------ ----------------------------------------------

George couldn't see a thing. It was as if he became blind. The room had suddenly darkened. It was almost pitch black as if the sun or the moon was prevented from shining in through the window. He wasn't sure how late it was as he felt himself being lifted forcefully from his bed and found himself standing firmly on the old wood floor. The atmosphere around him seemed to swirl about him and felt terribly oppressive. He didn't want to stay there anymore, he wanted to get out.

_"Wake up, George Weasley! Wake up."_ A little voice in his head said persistently over and over again.

_WAKE UP!_

It was an order that he tried to obey, but as much as he wanted to get away from that cruel dream he was sure he was having, he couldn't. He wanted to run away but his legs felt heavy and cumbersome as did his leaden body. He just couldn't move. He was stuck and he was sure he was going to die there. It was just a matter of time…

Seconds passed. It felt like hours as he struggled to move. He felt his stomach churn. He tried to move his limbs again. Nothing. And then suddenly he felt lighter as the invisible pressure that had held him still removed itself. His body was moving freely again, he realized with relief. Then a bright light formed hitting his eyes. Bright and beautiful. George could finally see even as the room around him remained dark. The light wavered then as before and the sight of his twin standing before his eyes made his heart beat harder in his chest with a strange happiness. The ethereal form solidified before him and there stood Fred, looking as if death never laid its chilly cold hand upon him. As solid in form as George.

"Is this another vision?" were his last thoughts before every confused thought in his mind was muted. George looked straight into his twin's eyes but he couldn't say a word. He just watched as his twin smiled gently and comfortingly at him.

"Long time, no see, huh bro?" Fred Weasley said but George didn't answer, at the same time stunned and frightened by the turn of events. Should he trust himself as to what he was seeing? Would the image of his dead brother answer to all his questions or would he disappear as soon as he muttered a word? Was this man standing before him even real? But when he finally opened his mouth to finally speak he felt strong comforting arms encircle his body and without a second thought he hugged back.

"I'm so sorry George…" the other man whispered as he kept his comforting arms wrapped around his twins body "I'm so sorry. I didn't want to leave you alone...I had no choice."

"You did though." George muttered, "I always knew you were a selfish bastard..." he added after a moment. He felt Fred laugh silently and strangely enough he too couldn't repress a smile at that.

"Then again you have done a wonderful job moving on with your life without my precious help." Fred said not breaking the comforting contact just yet.

"I don't think so." George said and pulled away from the embrace to look at his twin straight in the eyes. "I am incomplete, an empty hole has materialized in my heart."

"That's bullshit." Fred said softly and then observed the tear streaks running down his brother's pale face. "You're a wreck."

Silence. George avoided his twin's sympathetic gaze by turning away quickly but Fred forced him look back at him once more.

"I wish the potion hadn't worn off." Fred said, "You were happier without the memory of me pestering your days and maybe it would be better for you to forget me forever."

"You don't mean that." George cried out. "You need to be remembered --especially by me!"

"No I don't mean it, but I wish I did." Fred said and sighed, "Because now you are going to remember everything and when you do…" sighing, he put a hand on his brother's shoulder and tried to smile.

"I will always be with you." Fred said after a moment. "Even when you think I'm gone, I will be nearby watching out for you."

"Enough with the platitudes, you are dead." George said flatly as a sharp feeling of painful loneliness raced through his heart like the turn of a sharp knife blade. He finally realized the meaning of his own words. He felt his eyes well up with tears and stream down his face as he tried desperately to get hold of his emotions. "No matter what you or anybody says, I'm alone."

"No, you're not." Fred said and hugged his dear brother once more. "God knows I missed you."

"I missed you too." George tried to choke out and suddenly he couldn't see anything again. He felt Fred's arms around him slowly dissipating away and he realized every memory that had been wiped away from his mind was now rapidly coming back.

Among them he remembered how Fred had bewitched Percy's prefect badge so that it read, 'Pinhead',

His heart hurt as he remembered his mother pushing him and Fred aside when Ron got his prefect badge and made him and Fred feel like they were nobody since they were the only ones who never became prefects. Not that they ever wanted to since it took the fun out of life.

Being able to Apparate together at the same instant.

Nearly identical sweaters. One with an F and the other with a G.

The marauders map they had used till they gave it to Harry Potter.

Being able to speak and end each others sentences as one.

All the fun they had with their pranks especially during their sixth year against the Ministry appointed Inquisitor Professor Umbridge.

Fever Fudge, Fainting fancies, skiving boxes, Deflagration Deluxe Fireworks, Wildfire Whiz-Bangs Portable Swamps…

Their decision to leave school and start Weasleys Wizard Wheezes and how they had sped out of the open front doors of Hogwarts into the sunset.

The last memory of himself which hurt most of all, that of not being beside his brother when he had died three years later during the last battle against Voldemort…

He realized he wanted to talk to Fred a little more. It was too soon for his beloved sibling to leave.

"NO" He screamed, his mental agony was intense as his hands clenched then clawed at the empty space before him.

It was too f--king soon!

"NO" he cried out as his brother disappeared. "OH MY GOD NO." he yelled but it was too late.

"NO! FRED! DON'T LEAVE!"

Then he was awake back in his bedroom. He sat alone, his knees drawn up against his body and his hands against his face, feeling the perspiration dripping from his brow and the dampness of his tears that flowed without restraint down his cheeks.

25th May, 8:29, morning.

Mrs. Weasley looked out of the kitchen window as the sun sent its rays of light and warmth into her kitchen and smiled a little as she looked down at the breakfast she was preparing. It really was a beautiful morning. 'Yet again,' she thought with a frown while putting the eggs and bacon on two large plates, 'it's just a little too calm…' but she shrugged the uneasy thought away from her mind immediately.

Molly glanced around at her sons who were waiting for their breakfast. Nearly everyone was up. Even Percy, who until yesterday had preferred to stay in bed, was now peacefully reading a book. Ron was having a game of wizard's chess with Bill while Charlie was content to sit quietly in a chair and watch his brothers while waiting for his breakfast. She set the full plates onto the table then turned to her cabinet for two more plates to set the  
sausages and toast on.

The only son not present was George. She felt a sense of foreboding as she looked at the boys for a moment then down at the plates she had just taken down from their shelf. Her head snapped up as she heard George finally coming down to the kitchen. She smiled brightly at him as always.

"Good morning, George." she said in her motherly way. George scowled and sat down, crossing his arms against his chest and glowered at everyone at the table.

"Oh, mum." George suddenly said, his voice was unnaturally gloomy and chilly. Mrs. Weasley felt shivers run down her spine. "I'm Fred! Don't you even recognize your own son?"

As soon as he said those words Molly went numb and her hands let the plates fall to the floor with a loud crack. Everyone stared at George with their mouth agape. Percy just glanced above his book and slowly closed it, as if afraid to break the frightening silence that gathered around them. Molly's eyes widened with shock and she started to shake as she repeated George's words again in her mind. George remained where he was but everyone could see he was trembling as well.

"What's wrong, mother?" George said coldly. His voice was shaking with repressed anger and his eyes were strangely damp. "Don't you want to remember Fred? Hear his name?"

The silence in the room was thick and almost unbearable.George stared angrily around at everyone in the room and his sight settled on Percy for a moment. "I …" George started, "I … I don't believe you." he snarled at his older brother as he moved closer to him and punched him straight in the face, making him fall onto his knees.

"George!" it was Charlie who recovered first from the shock and tried to stop his brother, grabbing him by the shirt. But George freed himself and frowned as he glared at Percy who was holding his hands against his broken and bloody nose. "You …you…" his voice shook with emotion, "You told me you didn't know Fred, right?"

Percy didn't respond as he stared with disbelief at the blood that pooled on his hands.

"You lied to me!" George cried out and kicked Percy in the stomach.

"Stop! George, stop!" Bill exclaimed and tried to stop his brother from hurting Percy again.

"You ALL lied to me!" George screamed as he shoved Bill back with more force than was strictly necessary then turned abruptly to his mother. "My twin was a part of me...and you denied me my chance to grieve!"

"How could you!" he shouted, his voice reaching hysterics. "HOW COULD YOU MAKE ME FORGET HIM!"

"George..." Molly tried to say, "We only wanted …"

George interrupted her as he laughed bitterly.

"Only wanted to do what _you_ thought was best for me?" he finished for her and laughed again. "ARE YOU STUPID OR WHAT! I FORGOT MY OWN BROTHER, MY TWIN FOR MERLIN'S SAKE." George yelled at her, his voice dropped to a low hard hiss. "Don't you even realize what that means?"

"George." Bill started, calmly. "We know how you feel."

"OH, you know now, do you? You too had a bloody twin, did you? You know what it feels like to loose your other half, DO YOU?"

Bill remained silent. George growled in frustration and kicked the wall forcefully, hurting himself in the process. "How could you all steal my memories and then lie to me all these years?"

"George, please, listen." Molly pleaded. She was crying but by then George couldn't care less.

"I DON'T WANT TO LISTEN TO YOUR INFERNAL LIES!" George cried out in agony, "What do you have to tell me anyway? I'm sorry?" he wanted to punch somebody, hurt someone. Make them hurt like he was hurting inside.

"Everyone of you had time to mourn him, mum." he finally said so calmly it was almost frightening. He bitterly laughed again, "but not me." He let out a sob but recomposed himself immediately, "It's like he died three times, once when he died and once when I forgot him and now when I remembered him and he isn't here."

"George."

"How could you!" he was shaking from anger and grief that he barely contained as he clenched his hands into fists. His knuckles turned white and his finger nails drew a trickle of blood as they pierced his palms.

"It was in your best interest, you wanted to kill yourself!" Bill suddenly exclaimed as Ron stood up to comfort their mother. George looked at him in the eyes and he was terrifying.

"And so what if I still want to." George said through gritted teeth, "What-if-I-still-want-to!"

"NO" Molly screamed out and started to cry even more. He looked at her with misery and anguish and then everyone saw him break down and weep for the first time since Fred was gone. He moved backwards away from them and glared through his tears at his mother and brothers who were looking helplessly at him.

His eyes narrowed as he focused his gaze on Percy who was still kneeling on the floor looking at him.

"To think I trusted all of you." he spat at them and disappeared with a crack.


	10. Anger and pain

"What - if - I - still - want - to!"

"To think I trusted all of you."

The last words he had spoken to his family echoed— over and over inside his brain while he turned around and around in circles and stared at the peaceful, silent place that he had apparated to. He hadn't been thinking of any particular place to go to when he left the Burrow. He had been too angry, upset and depressed all at once, to care. He had planned to do something really dangerous, to put an end to his own life... but something stopped him- 'temporarily,' he thought as he stared unbelievingly at the sun shining brightly above the variety of gravestones surrounding him, making them stand out in stark contrast to his darkened, black mood.

Now that he could think a little more clearly, it seemed that his longing to see Fred again had been in his mind and heart all the time, and he had apparated to where Fred's body was buried.

George stared down at the cool marble tombstone before him and, his heart pounding rapidly against his chest, he read the writing on it.

_Fred Weasley, 1978-1998.  
Beloved son, and wonderful brother.  
We'll never forget you.  
_

He stared at the last words, feeling the unfairness of it all.

"WE'LL never forget you!" he yelled in frustration. "I DID forget! I DID FORGET! I couldn't grieve for my brother- my other half- MY TWIN- because- I- FORGOT! FORGOT!"

The wand that he was holding was now bending into an arc, dangerously close to breaking in his angry fists. He wanted to scream and cry- till the blood vessels in his throat and lungs burst and drowned him! He couldn't forgive himself for living when the body of his twin- his best friend and companion lay under the ground with a cold tombstone above him.

"Fred, Fred! If you could only hear me... I wish... I wish..." He sobbed uncontrollably, dropping his wand on top of the grave, he rubbed the tears from his eyes fiercely with the heels of his hands.

Sadness again left and in its place came anger. He wanted to injure someone badly- make them feel his pain. He suddenly remembered when Fred was still alive and George was in one of his destructive moods, he would put a comforting hand on his shoulder and that simple gesture would calm him once again.

"You bloody idiot," George whispered and his trembling legs gave out and he fell to his knees in front of the unyielding stone marker over Fred's grave. "Why did you have to go?"

He didn't know whether to laugh or cry at himself for talking to a dead man but in the end choose the latter. He couldn't keep his pain inside. He felt betrayed and alone. How could his family do something so cruel to him? How could they make him forget his brother? He didn't want to see them- never again! Especially Percy- how dare he lie about not knowing Fred, to his face!

George grabbed a long tuft of grass from the base of the headstone and tore at it furiously as new tears formed in his eyes.

-------------------------

Ginny entered the kitchen from the back door. She was so happy! She had found the perfect place for the party she and Harry decided to give after the ceremony had ended and she couldn't wait to tell the others, but the sight that met her wasn't what she was expecting.

Her eyes went wide as she noticed Percy's bloody nose that he hadn't wanted their mother to adjust... as though he wanted to feel the pain, as if he deserved it. Molly, on the other hand was silently crying, her wand in hand, trying to _'Episkey_' his damaged nose.

Ginny looked around at the depressed faces and noticed someone dear to her was missing... George, where was he?

"Mum," Ginny said, now worried. Five pairs of eyes turned to stare uncomprehendingly at her. Now Ginny was positive that something was definitely wrong. "What happened?" she enquired hesitantly, taking a few steps forward. She jumped, startled as her mother burst out crying loudly at her words.

It was Ron who broke the silence: "George remembered," he stated simply as Ginny looked at him unbelievingly.

"WHAT?" she exclaimed, "but that…. what...?" she stopped, searching for the rights words-"How?"

"We... we don't know..." Charlie started to explain...

Percy interrupted him, "He was going to remember anyway," he stared at his hand full of dried blood and winced with the knifing pain that jabbed across his face.

"Would you just let me…" Molly exclaimed between tears and reached out to touch her third son but he slammed her hand away.

"Stop! DON'T- TOUCH- ME! I'm okay!" Percy angrily yelled. "LEAVE- ME- ALONE!"

Shocked, Bill screamed at his younger brother:

"PERCY!"

Molly shook her head, "STOP," and buried her face in a handkerchief.

Ginny looked at her with pity before Ron spoke up again:

"I think he won't return," he said, "you should have seen the betrayed look in his eyes."

At his words Molly started to sniff loudly again. Bill shot an angry look at his younger brother.

"You shouldn't have said that!" he snarled.

"But it's the truth!'' Ron defended himself. Ginny shook her head furiously.

"NO!" she exclaimed, "NO- he will!- He will come back!" Her brothers looked at her with pity but she dared to smile at them.

"I know he will. I know he will," she whispered. "He has to!"

----------------------------

Picking up his wand off the grave, George staggered to his feet and let out an unearthly scream of agony and pain that reverberated throughout the still air and disturbed the birds that had settled in the trees scattered about the graveyard. He then disapparated and reappeared inside his apartment on the second floor above the shop.

He stared at the second bed on the other side of the room, now knowing full well why it was there. He remembered Percy joking about it and he snorted as he thought about his brother's words: _Maybe you hoped I will come and live with you one day…_ George frowned and then realized why Percy had looked so serious when he had responded with _'No way, a night okay, but a lifetime with your books all around the place? That would be suicide!'  
_  
George pointed his wand at the inoffensive mattress on the bed.

"_DIFFINDO_" he barked, feathers exploded over the room as the mattress burst apart.

His anger unabated, George angrily grabbed hold of the end of the bed with his hands and flipped it over violently with a resounding crash as he tore at the frame and slammed it against the wall- over and over!

He exited his bedroom and made his way to his shop. He stared at the rows of pranks on the shelves. George shook his head as fragments of memories flooded his brain, in no particular order.

_What do we want to be Prefects for?' _

_'Ton-Tongue Toffee,' said Fred brightly. 'George and I invented them, we've been looking for someone to test them on all summer…'  
_

_'If the Hogwarts Express crashed tomorrow, and George and I died,__ how would you feel knowing that the last thing we ever heard from you was an unfounded accusation?'_

_'Canary Creams!' Fred shouted to the excitable crowd. 'George and I invented them – seven Sickles each, bargain!' _

_'We want to experiment with Doxy venom for our Skiving Snack boxes,'_

_'We take it in turns. George did the Fainting Fancies – we both tried the Nosebleed Nougat –'  
_

_'Mum thought we'd been duelling,' said George. _

_GALLONS OF GALLEONS!  
Pocket money failing to keep pace with your outgoings?  
Like to earn a little extra gold?  
Contact Fred and George Weasley Gryffindor common room,  
For simple, part-time, virtually painless jobs.  
(We regret that all work is undertaken at applicant's own risk.)_

_'Would you like us to clean out your ears for you?'__ enquired George, pulling a long and lethal-looking metal instrument from inside one of the Zonko's bags.  
_

_'Or any part of your body, really, we're not f__ussy where we stick this,' said Fred. _

_'Well, now –' said George.__  
'– what with Dumbledore gone –' said Fred.  
'– we reckon a bit of mayhem –' said George.  
'– is exactly what our new Head deserves,' said Fred. _

_"George," said Fred, "I think we've outgrown a full-time education."  
_

_"Yeah, I've been feeling that way myself," said George lightly.  
_

_"Time to test our talents in the real world, d'you reckon?" asked Fred.  
_

_"Definitely," said George.  
_  
Closing his eyes, the memories of their younger selves' laughter and hopes became clearer and clearer, he started to destroy everything he saw before him. He didn't want to see sad reminders anymore. The emotional anguish he felt was too overwhelming and he wanted to eradicate it with physical pain. Kicking the counters and smashing the contents to the floor with several sweeps of his arms he glowered at the wooden shelving units filled with all the wonderful inventions that he- and his brother, FRED- had invented together.

He beat his fists angrily against the sides of the shelving units till they bled from the wood splinters that pierced his skin. He yanked and kicked the units that had been fastened to the walls till they tumbled and broke in pieces. They had planned for nothing! NOTHING! He didn't want the shop anymore! Too many damned memories! Too many damned hopes dashed.

Bottles crashed on the floor, spilling their scent all over the place... Boxes were smashed, books on pranks were shred apart; it was as if, at every crashing sound he heard, George felt a little better. He continued to kick at objects, ripping down whole shelves with his bare hands and everything collapsed on top of him.

He didn't care as something made of wood wounded his hands and face and he didn't give a damn when he fall on his knees on broken glass.

He started to cry again and he didn't notice as someone apparated nearby and gasped at the destruction before them. He felt a pair of soft gentle arms encircle his body as a womanly scent filled his nostrils.

"Oh, my, George!" a woman's voice cried out as she noticed George's injured hands. "What happened? Why are you doing this?"

George couldn't turn and face the woman behind him. He felt her heart beating hard against his back. He felt her long hair on his wet face. But he didn't want her to see his anguish and suffering.

Daphne Jones crushed George closer to her in a fiercely protective hug and rocked him gently as she would have done with a distraught child.

George shifted slightly onto his side, "How could I do this to him," he then whispered, "he will not be able to share his thoughts with me, his laughter... hopes... fears, or... or..."

He felt Daphne's enquiring sympathetic eyes focusing upon his bowed head. She didn't know-- She didn't know who Fred was. She had never met that wonderful person that was his brother. He started to cry even harder. His tears flowed down his cheeks and soaked his shirt and Daphne's robes.

"Who?" Daphne asked softly. George took her warm hand in his cold ones still stained with blood.

'Fred..." George sobbed, "Fred... My twin brother... Fred."


	11. The day everything changed

George remained silent. Daphne held him close as she sat with him for what felt like a lifetime as he gathered his thoughts together. She did not wish to disturb his thoughts yet; she wished to give him the feeling that she was sorry for his loss without using stupid clichés which meant little or nothing to someone who was bereaved.

He didn't speak to her as he continued staring blankly ahead while submerged within his newly discovered memories. Occasionally he reached up and touched Daphne's arms that were still around his shoulders with his hands. The woman's delicate perfume helped him ease a little of the anguish he was suffering and slowly over time his tears stopped flowing and dried as anger for what he had been denied all those years ago took form and boiled hot within his heart.

George took a deep breath and finally started to tell her about his memories that had been suspended and hidden from him. He told Daphne that she had a right to know what a wonderful person Fred was, not only that but what an astonishing brother he had been.

It was painful to remember his life with Fred but George gritted his teeth and even though his voice cracked and shook at first he told her of their early realization that they were two parts of a whole who knew each others thoughts without having to speak to each other. Their combined efforts to make new and different pranks… He told her of how they would experiment with some of the pranks on their own selves till they got them right.

The Mail Order business that they conducted from the Burrow and the trouble they got into with their mum.

Their greatest ambition in life being to open a joke shop.

Canary Creams,

Nosebleed Nougat.

Their years as beaters for Gryffindor's Quidditch team, and how they were referred to as human blodgers themselves.

Tontongue toffees,

shield charms.

Quidditch world Cup and their bet with Ludo Bagman for all their money (thirty-seven Galleons, fifteen Sickles, three Knuts) that Ireland would win, "but Viktor Krum gets the Snitch."

But unfortunately they learned a hard lesson when Bagman cheated them by giving them Leprechaun gold that vanished the next morning.

The fact that at Hogwarts office in Filch's office they had a whole drawer in the punishment cabinet to themselves... nobody else in the history of Hogwarts did, not even the Marauders.

The final year they were at school.

The portable swamp. _We heard that Professor Flitwick was so proud of our work that after vanishing most of it, he roped off a tiny bit of it in our honour.  
_  
WildFire WhizBangs... All the mayhem they created with their successful skiving snackboxes when they sold them to the other students.

Their triumphant escape from the clutches of the evil Headmistress Dolores Umbridge.

The successful opening day of their shop and the continuing popularity of their products.

Decoy Detonators,

Patented Daydream Charms,

Reusable hangman,

Instant Darkness Powder that they had imported from Peru.

The love potions, guaranteed tensecond pimple vanisher that they called wonder witch products.

How he received the dark hole on the side of his head where his ear was cursed off and the 'holey' joke.

George had talked nearly non-stop for several hours but paused for several minutes when he got to the 2nd of May 1998, the last battle against Voldemort.

Daphne listened to George's memories in silence, her heart beating agonizingly against her chest. She wanted to know why she never heard of his twin brother Fred before, who he was and what he had done. But most of all she wanted to know why George's memories about him had been wiped out. And strangely enough she was afraid of what she was going to discover about that day... the 2nd of May, 1998.

George gulped and he took an extremely long deep breath as he struggled to gather his thoughts about that day... the last day he saw his brother, his twin and lifelong companion.

"We took the job organizing defence of the entrances of the passageways into the school He said we should go in separate directions... "

George's eyes narrowed and then widened as a sheen of moisture formed in his eyes which he blinked away as he thought about the last time he saw his brother alive.

----

_2nd of May, 1998_

Fred looked at him and smiled encouragingly. George humph-ed in disbelief that his brother would have such a thought, much less suggest it.

"It's just for an hour or two." Fred told him, and then George crossed his arms against his chest. Fred laughed and George's lips twitched into a smile for the slightest of moments.

"I prefer we fight together" George whispered then, looking at his twin straight in the eyes. "I hate it when we are separated..."

"I know" Fred whispered back, smiling softly. The redheaded man glanced around him, listening to the Order's plans for attack for a moment before looking back at George. "I'll get my part of the job done and I'll come to help you as soon I can."

"You better." George stated in a joking manner but his hands trembled slightly.

"I promised you none of us is going to die." Fred whispered in George's only ear so no one could overhead what he was saying.

"Remember what I told you yesterday?"

George stopped complaining and nodded his head, trusting his brother's words fully. Fred smiled widely and patted George on the back. George couldn't do anything else but smile back at Fred.

"Okay, then!" George said aloud, "Let's go kick some Death Eater's butts!"

---

"_STUPIFY_!"

A red light sprung in the chaos and one of the Death Eaters fell on the floor, unconscious. George didn't had the time to even blink as another servant of the Dark Lord attacked him. He cast spell after spell with passion and glancing at his right he saw his best friend, Lee, doing the same.

"_IMPEDIMENTA_!"

George turned abruptly around at the now stunned Death Eater and thanked Lee with a nod of his head, not having time to praise aloud. Lee shot him a toothy grin and ran after another enemy.

The constant screaming echoing in his ear!

The dreadful explosions that literally shook the castle!

George didn't know where he was anymore. He just knew that he had to fight.

For Harry Potter, the boy who lived and was destined to finish off Voldemort.

For the wizarding world.

For his family.

As he cast another spell he wondered where his twin was and he hoped that Fred was having as much excitement as he was and that when it was over they could compare their experiences.

George was pissed off at being separated from Fred but there was nothing for it. It had happened and he just had to make the best of it till they were back together again.

It totally made him ill-tempered. "Don't worry!" the twit had said to him casually, "I'll see you soon."

'Damn you, Fred, where are you!' George thought as he protected himself from a '_crucio_' sent at him by one of the Death Eaters with a '_protego_!'

His heart beat quickened as he couldn't see his twin anywhere in the vicinity. He smiled to himself, imagining Fred's expression when he would tell him how damned worried he had been. He knew Fred would tell him to stop acting like their mother, that he had grown up now and could take care of himself very well, 'thankyouverymuch.'

George then would make disbelieving faces and Fred would suddenly turn serious and tell him he had been worried sick too.

George couldn't wait for this whole war to be done with, finished.

"_INCARCEOUS_!"

Screams echoed around him, growing in intensity then fading out before rising up again..

"_STUPIFY_!"

Blood, spurting from wounds, red thick and alive falling and soaking into the ground.

"_EXPELLIARMUS_!"

George fought Death Eater after Death Eater with fervour when he felt a sharp sudden pain like he had been stabbed straight in the heart. George stopped breathing and for a moment he thought he was dead if it wasn't for the fact that he could still see the world around him very well.

George suddenly realized that he had fell on his knees in agony and, clutching his chest with his left hand, he felt dizzy and sick.

"George! Are you okay?" someone called him but George didn't recognize the worried voice immediately. It took him a moment to understand that the person kneeling down before him was no other that Lee. George looked up at him with confusion.

"Who was it?" he managed to say as the pain slowly dissipated. "What spell did I get stuck by?"

Lee's expression was one of pure confusion.

"No one, George…" Lee said, "No spell has hit you. You just collapsed. Are you okay? What happened?"

A terrible sense of hopeless loss struck George. He shook his head with disbelief.

NO! It couldn't be, not now. So close to the end of the battle!

George gazed frantically at Lee as he answered: "I must go find him…" his voice felt strangely hoarse.

"I need to find Fred!"

Lee's eyebrows shot up but didn't say anything. Looking around at the battle surrounding them he helped George up.

"Think you can manage?" Lee asked as he promptly ducked a green light aimed at him. George nodded and without another word ran inside the castle.

Blood, thick red blood that had spurt from injures, some minor, some mortal. Pools of the stuff made the flagstones in the floor slippery as it congealed and turned black.

---

The battle had stopped and still George couldn't find Fred anywhere. His bad feeling grew stronger as he searched. Its intensity grew with each passing moment.

'FRED! Where are you, dammit!' George thought making his way to the Great Hall, where most of the injured where been taken.

The Great Hall was the only place he knew where he would be reunited all his family. He hoped Fred was already there waiting for him.

George touched the huge wooden doors.

His heart beat unnaturally fast.

With effort born of an unexplainable sense of panic and trepidation, he shoved open the door.

The moans of the injured and the tears of the living welcomed him.

His stomach tightened in fear.

George started to walk fast between the bodies. Hoping, hoping against the hopelessness that was descending upon him.

His heart hurt worse with each successive beat.

There they were! He could see the red of his family's hair on the other side of the room. He ran towards them with relief. Getting closer he slowed down and he could hear his heart beat louder with anxiety and fear.

He noticed that they were looking down at something. Or somebody!

_Ba__-bump_, his heart skipped a beat, _Ba-bump_, his breathing sped up. He felt woozy.

Where was Fred?

_Ba-bump_

_Ba__-bump _

His heart beat faster as it felt like it was going to burst outside his chest. George felt his legs grow suddenly heavy as his mother and his father turned around suddenly to look at him.

'NO... nononononono!'. Was the dark foreboding he was feeling right after all?

George noticed his mother was crying and she glanced at him only for a second before looking back at the body in her arms. George felt all his breath being sucked out from his lungs.

_Ba__-bump_

_Ba-bump!_

He had found Fred.

George moved his mother abruptly away and he stared wide eyed in shock at his brother's pale dead face.

Fred was smiling in what seemed like a peaceful slumber.

Confused and numb he crumpled down onto his knees beside Fred's head. His whole body trembled. He couldn't breathe as he stared in disbelief at the still silent mortal remains of his brother.

He pleaded with Fred to stop pranking, it wasn't funny, and open his eyes and laugh at him, telling him to see the look on his own face.

And yet down deep, George knew that none of that was going to happen.

Something warm and wet streamed down his face but he wasn't sure about what it was.

He could only feel the coldness of Fred's hands as he cradled them in his own warm ones.

"I.. Fred.." his voice cracked.

Someone touched his shoulder gently and he tore his eyes away from Fred to stare at his older brother Percy.

"George, we understand…" his older brother said with a sad broken tone.

And that was it. Three words, meaningless words.

Fred was Percy's brother.

Bill's brother!

Charlie's brother!

Ron's brother!

Ginny's brother!

But for him…Fred was not only his brother... HE WAS HIS TWIN, HIS OTHER HALF!

Furious with his grief, George slapped the hand away.

"You know NOTHING!" he screamed in agony as he threw himself on top of Fred's body.

Lying there he started to howl as he shed tears of agonized grief.

None of the other Weasley's were able to pry him away from the cold dead body of his twin.

Much later when the hall was filling up with the exhausted survivors with the mingled outpourings of jubilation, the mourning, grief and celebration, George stood up woodenly from the spot he had been sitting long after the bodies of the dead had been removed and set in a chamber off the hall.

So many gone but only one death truly tore away at George's soul.

No longer would there be a Fred and George, Gred or Feorge. Just George!

Anger and guilt for surviving fought for dominance.

His blue eyes blazed the turned cold, and deadly.

Not only Fred Weasley had died this day, his brother, his twin, the George Weasley everyone had known for twenty years, had also died with him.


	12. Daphne's tears

George didn't notice that his tears had dried on his cheeks as a sense of panic overtook him. He was now more conscious of Daphne's arms wrapped protectively around his body, of her slow even breathing against him and he realized that now he had better tell her why why he had been destroying the shop he and Fred had dreamed of since they were little kids. Why he suddenly hated his family so much, why, why, why!

He knew Daphne was waiting for him to speak as he could feel the tension in the air, her fear of finally asking that question but, strangely enough, as he closed his eyes, he didn't want to tell her quite yet.

"George…" Daphne finally said softly after moments of hesitation with caution and love evident in the tone of her voice as she pulled a little away from the embrace, trying to see her boyfriend in the face.

"George, is there something you aren't telling me?" she asked cautiously as she was a little afraid that, in his current frame of mind, George might snap at her for being too inquisitive about his personal business.

George avoided her worried, blue, eyes. He didn't want to tell her, yet he knew she needed to know what was bothering him and why he had remorselessly demolished so much of his property.

"I wished to kill myself…" he whispered so quietly that Daphne barely heard him.

A few moments passed before her eyes widened with shock and her lips started to tremble slightly as she comprehended what he had intended to do.

"George... why?"

"Why? It was becoming too difficult to live without him." George abruptly said, starting to get angry because no one understood what he had felt, what he was feeling. George took a deep shuddering breath and continued in a voice that was barely above a whisper.

"I don't think you quite understand yet what it was like to lose Fred... not really." George looked up at her for a moment silently begging her to listen to the meaning of what he was saying, "And, and my kind family gave me a potion to forget what had happened to Fred... my brother... MY TWIN!"

George closed his eyes momentarily and then opened them again and looked at Daphne who was unsure as to what she could do for him besides being there for him and listen to his painful ranting.

"FORGET HIM!" he suddenly exclaimed with hatred and pain. "And I... I ...".

A wrenched sob burst from his lips as he fought down the emotions that rose with the memories.

And then, tough, always smiling and strong Daphne started to cry, her anguish catching George totally by surprise. He hastily turned to look at her and his heart felt as if it stopped beating as he saw her tears slide down her face in sympathy for him. She sat back as she removed her arms from around George and covered her tearstained face with her hands.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Daphne was saying behind her hands.

"You have nothing to be sorry about." answered George who was confused by her outburst. "You didn't know."

"I know I..." she sobbed, "But I… I can't stop. It hurts too much to think I might lose you."

Gobsmacked, George was at a loss. He didn't know what to say in response.

"I'm sorry…" she said again as tears streamed even harder down her face. She suddenly reached over, pulled and hugged George against her. George remained speechless and suddenly he realized how egoistically he was acting. He couldn't do that to Daphne.

Not to her, never to her.

"Don't worry." he blurted out suddenly, "I'm not going to do it again…"

He knew he needed to reassure her and murmured: "I won't, I promise I won't try again... I promise I won't." George repeated tersely and then he spoke a little more tenderly, "…because I don't want to lose you either."

Daphne hiccupped as she struggled to stop crying and George conjured up a handkerchief with which he wiped the tears away from her face. Then both she and George comforted each other while ignoring the destructive results of George's earlier pain and anger that still surrounded them.

The sun was already setting down behind the horizon as the pair finally exited the partially destroyed shop. Daphne looked up at the sign: Weasley Wizard Wheezes, and pulled her cloak around her even tighter to protect her body from the cool air.

George, on the other hand, wanted nothing less than to get away from the shop which he couldn't look at in the same way as he had before because he was afraid that the memories the shop evoked of Fred and himself would haunt his mind again to the point where he would feel morose and self-destructive again.

Freezing to a standstill, he suddenly realized that he had nowhere else to go now. George didn't want to stay in the apartment he and Fred had shared when his brother was still alive, and to return to his family was totally out of question. He thought he could probably rent a room in an inn or something, but he feared that, with staying alone, he would probably have second thoughts and break his promise to Daphne.

Not that he wanted to but unlike seven years ago he had now someone he deeply cared about, that seemed to understand, and didn't want to hurt him the way his family had done.

"I wish I had met him... Fred I mean." Daphne suddenly said, breaking the silence.

George looked at her and his eyebrows rose with perplexity.

"I know he must have had a lot in common with you besides your looks..." she explained with a sad smile, "I wonder..." she stopped talking as she turned to look at him thoughtfully.

George nodded and tried to smile back at her but in the state he was in he couldn't do it.

"You can come live in my apartment." Daphne said then, "My sister will not bother you, I promise!" She smiled again and took George's hand in hers. "You are quite welcome to stay as long as you wish to."

"I don't want to be a burden." George said but Daphne laughed his statement off.

"Are you serious? You are my boyfriend! Of course you are not going to be a burden!" she told him with an exaggerated, absurdly droll tone of voice which made George finally smile a little.

At that moment George recalled how Fred had a tendency to laugh off problems and joke about them so no one could see that they really had bothered him. George was the only one, though, who could see through that facade of false happiness and realize that Fred was just as concerned about the problems as he was.

George also remembered how he needn't ask about what was bothering Fred as his twin knew that he would be there to listen when Fred wished to speak of what was troubling him and the same thing could be said of Fred if George needed him to listen.

They really had been two halves of a whole.

Daphne's apartment wasn't too far away and they walked silently side by side lost in their own thoughts. George felt that Daphne's silence was just as comforting as was her presence.

For a moment, as he climbed up the stairs to Daphne's muggle style apartment, George wanted nothing more than have Fred's talent to laugh off his problems. He knew that his own feelings were clear as crystal on his face but Daphne seemed to understand and not complain about it, as Fred would have done, telling him that life was too short to waste it being sad.

George remembered vaguely that Daphne told him about having lost both of her parents, killed by one of the Dark Lord's followers during a mission, and that she had taken care of her then ten years old sister along with her only living grandmother when she was only sixteen.

"Here we are!" Daphne said and made to take the keys out of her pocket, when suddenly the door opened.

George remembered Daphne's sister and there he saw her again: a twenty year old woman, with long black hair, tied into two low ponytails and dressed in the latest fashion muggled clothes. His eyes travelled down to Daphne's sister left arm, where a tattoo of an eagle sat with its dark eyes glaring back at him.

The younger girl looked at him with a scowl and George suddenly remembered why he detested the girl so much. Unlike her older sister she was mean, utterly sarcastic and self-centred.

"George Weasley!" the girl spoke disdainfully as she looked down her nose at him, then with a smirk and without another word passing between them she turned swiftly and left them standing in the open doorway.

"Eileen!" Daphne cried out, upset at her sister's antics. "You have no tact whatsoever!"

Noticing that her younger sister was ignoring her she repeated: "Eileen!"

George put a hand on Daphne's shoulders to make her stop and suddenly he felt like laughing at what he had witnessed.

"Let that brat go, Daphne." George whispered quietly, "I prefer it that way. Really, I don't want to listen to any of her sarcastic retorts right now…" he continued.

Daphne looked intently at him and nodded.

"Please come in." she said politely and closed the door behind them.

"Thank you... especially now when I needed somebody to talk to" George said as he walked in and sat down on the couch and motioned for her to sit down beside him.

Daphne looked at him, a little surprised at first, but slowly she started to smile and sat down beside him, putting an arm around his shoulders.

"There is no need to thank me." Daphne said. "I do have an understanding of what you must feel like right now. It must be terrible when someone tears your soul apart."

"Yeah, that's just it." George said and paused with a guarded look in his eyes. "I don't know if I'll open the shop anymore." he added then, shivering a little, "I feel like I don't have any reason to keep it open."

"Your clients are going to miss seeing you there." Daphne said impulsively as she tried to reassure him.

"They didn't miss Fred." George spat back with an intensity that revealed that he was still hurting. Seeing the wounded look in Daphne's blue eyes he apologized. "Sorry Daphne, I didn't mean to snap at you."

"It's all right. I know you didn't mean to." Daphne answered.

It was then that she silently wondered in passing how it was that no one, not even his family ever mentioned Fred to George over these many years. Was there an unspoken agreement to not mention Fred between the Weasley family and everyone else who knew of his existence? She just couldn't fathom how such a situation could be allowed to happen.

George said nothing more as he was afraid to speak in case he did say something that could not be taken back. Daphne didn't say anything more and the silence grew and surrounded them and their troubled minds.


	13. Eileen Jones

"I feel nothing!" George said looking up at Percy. His eyes were blank, bereft of all emotion. His tone of voice was frigid with hatred and self loathing.

The older redhead's brown eyes travelled back and forth apprehensively from George's face to the tip of his younger brother's wand pointing suspiciously at his own heart. To say Percy was worried was an understatement. He had come to visit his younger brother at the hospital, as his parents had told him that George had finally woke up from his unconscious state after his attempted suicide the week before.

Percy had come just in time. As soon as he had entered the hospital room to greet his brother he had caught him grabbing the wand from where his stuff was lying and pointing it against his chest where his heart was beating rapidly.

Percy knew that if he had entered even a moment later, the last trace that the twins had existed would have vanished forever. To cut a long story short, Percy had immediately tried to take the weapon from George's hands, achieving nothing as he received a hard kick to his own stomach.

Percy fought to keep the tears from forming in his eyes as he nearly doubled over from the pain. He needed another, less painful, approach to stop George and so after a few moments for the pain to stabilize he had asked, in a matter of fact firm voice.

"Explain!"

And George, who was normally funny and cheerfully smiling George, his baby brother had looked at him with those blank, dead eyes and had said, loud and clear:

"Since that day I feel… nothing, I am dead inside."

Percy stared at the wand in George's hands. 'No more mourning,' he told himself, 'no more tears'. 'I can't stand it, this self-pity, but if I am too harsh…' he thought and looked desperately at his brother once again.

"I understand…" he said then but George cut him off abruptly.

"No, you don't!" the younger man shouted savagely and for the slightest of moments there was emotion in those cold eyes that from the day Fred had died, had shown nothing but apathy. "I don't know why you saved me. I thought I had made myself clear in my letter." George continued then and suddenly looked down at the wand he was holding. Percy made a step forward to stop the inevitable and George stabbed him with a furious glance and then snarled savagely with anger born of desperation.

"DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!"

Percy stopped in his tracks and stared at George in disbelief.

"George! We… I…" he started to say as his eyes travelled down towards the wand George was holding. "Why do you want to kill yourself?"

George's voice sounded strangely amused and he started to laugh for the first time, Percy realized, since Fred was dead.

"Would it make any difference really, dear brother?" George asked flatly without hope.

Percy closed his eyes for a moment, hoping, hoping that this was simply all a bad dream.

"I am already dead, Percy." continued the hopelessly listless voice that didn't seem to register with Percy as belonging to George.

"Are you listening to what you are saying?" Percy suddenly exclaimed in a flash of fury, "You are alive, George!" he moved swiftly to his brother's side but stopped as George pointed his wand at him.

"I am no longer alive without Fred. I may as well finish off my useless body to release my dead soul."

"YOU'RE ALIVE! Do you think Fred would be happy with you? With what you are doing!" Percy asked as he tried to keep his fear and anxiety out of his voice. "Do you think he would appreciate you sacrificing yourself just because you miss him?"

For a moment George's wand trembled in his hand and Percy's heart beat strong with trepidation against his chest. His mind was whirling with thoughts as he gazed at George with concern. 'Did he hear me? Would he realize what a foolish thing it is to kill oneself?'

But just as quickly as George's hesitation had come, it flew away and Percy's eyes widened when George walked further away from him and pointed the wand back against his own chest.

"I want to see him again, Percy. I am nothing without him. Why won't you try to understand?" George cried out. "_Avada_…"

Percy didn't know where he had found the courage to do what he did. But in a moment his wand was out and even as he was crying, he yelled the first spells that came into his mind.

"_EXPELLIARMUS, IMMOBULUS_"

"I hate you!" George had shouted those words as his wand flew out of his hand, a second before felling unconscious to the floor.

"I hate you!"

"I hate you!"

"_I hate you_!"

The words kept repeating themselves over and over in Percy's mind when the voice of somebody calling out his name with a tone of uneasy fretfulness grew louder and louder with each passing moment. He felt drained as he stared at the still form of his brother which seemed to be fading in and out as he watched.

"PERCY?" someone was still calling anxiously for him. "PERCY?"

"Huh?" Percy's head shot up and he stared, startled, at Ginny whose eyes were looking down at him, with sisterly concern.

"Are you okay? You looked to be having a rather troubling dream."

"I am, Ginny I just…" Percy said but stopped, looking down at the wooden table in the Weasley's kitchen. Why had he remembered now that day he had tried so hard to forget? The day he had suggested to remove all memories of Fred from George's mind.

Was it because of what had occurred after George regained his memories? Was it his own conscience reminding him how disturbed his brother had been before having his memories of Fred taken away?

Percy still remembered every detail. The look of concern his mother was giving George who was still unconscious. His other brothers nod of agreement. Ginny's silent protest when he had explained what had transpired between the time he entered the room and when they did.

_"He should forget Fred. At least for now."_ Percy had suggested. _"It's not healthy for him to live like this."_

That discussion was still echoing in his mind as he forced his thoughts back to the present day.

"Oh, don't worry, he'll come to his senses sooner or later." Ginny said sitting down on the other side of the table. Percy looked at her, surprised.

"Why aren't you worried at all?" he asked but Ginny avoided his inquiring look.

"Of course I am worried, Percy." she said. "I just trust him not to attempt it again."

"Aren't you afraid that he might not come back home again?" Percy asked but Ginny didn't answer his question. Percy looked down at the table again and his hands curled into fists. "I blame myself for everything. I blame myself for Fred's death and for George's unhappiness. I…"

"Stop it, Percy." Ginny suddenly screamed at him. "Stop blaming yourself."

"He hates me!" Percy said as he thought of what George did to him.

"He hates all of us, right now." Ginny said. She suddenly looked up as their mother entered the kitchen just then.

Molly's eyes were red from crying but she dared a smile in their direction anyway before exiting the house by the back door.

"Mum?" Ginny asked then but there was no response, a loud 'pop' was heard instead.

"She is going out for a walk." Bill said climbing down the stairs at that moment. "Said she needs to think things over, but I think she wants to go talk to George again."

"That will be more than likely be useless." Percy said then, "He is not going to forgive us so easily."

Bill nodded in acknowledgement and silence fell around them again.

"Ron has just returned." Bill suddenly said again, "From George's shop. He said he found it half demolished and that George wasn't anywhere in sight."

"I hope he is …" Ginny whispered but stopped immediately. Everyone knew what she hoped, anyway. It needn't be told with words.

"Are you going to cancel the wedding?" Bill asked then. Ginny looked at him then at Percy.

"Harry told me to, if I wanted, but…" Ginny looked down at her hands, "I think George is going to come back. I decided to delay the wedding for only a few days."

"Oh!" Percy and Bill said in unison, and then silence reigned again as the three Weasley's sat at the wooden table deep in their own thoughts.

--

_26th of May_

George ate his breakfast in silence, while reading Ginny's invitations over and over again. It seemed that Ginny and Harry's marriage had been postponed till the first of June and that he, George Weasley, was _still_ invited.

They still wanted him. George snorted at the white piece of paper and threw it further away from him. As if he is going to go back to that bunch of traitors!

Never going to happen!

He munched angrily his toast and tried with all his might to think about something else. Daphne! Okay, it was a good start. Daphne who had told him to stay in her apartment as much as he wanted, Daphne who was concerned for him and who would have liked to meet his brother.

"Fred…."

Suddenly all the appetite he had, vanished and he pushed the plate away. All the questions about his brother, why his family had made him forget him, swirled in his mind all over again. It was terrible. He felt it clearly now that his memories had come back; all the sadness and that horrible feeling that something had died within him; a part of him that never was going to come back. It was awful but painfully true.

George made to stand up when suddenly it seemed like a typhoon entered the kitchen and made him to sit back down again. The red headed man looked up annoyed at Daphne's little sister and she responded to his glare with an even more indignant stare.

"Are you stupid?" Eileen asked immediately and George raised his eyebrows, surprised.

"What?" he asked as he wondered if she was trying to start an argument or something with him.

"Oh, my! Clean your ears someday, will you?" Eileen shouted at him, "Are you stupid or what?" she asked again.

"Stop shouting at me!" he defended himself immediately, "What have I done to you now? Ate your favorite toast?"

"Ha, ha, you are so funny!" Eileen said and with a disgusted look sat down beside her sister's boyfriend. "Daphne told me everything!" she explained then, "And personally I think that you are an idiot."

"That is none of your concern, you moron!" George said and crossed his arms against his chest, meaning that the discussion was over. But Eileen wasn't going to give up so easily.

"It is! As long as you live in my house! It is!" Eileen spat back.

"Fine! What do you want?" George asked behind gritted teeth as he bit back a scathing reply.

"I wanted to tell you that you are an idiot."

"Is that all?" George said, as he fought the impulse to crash the plate he had setting before him onto Eileen's head.

"No." Eileen stopped for a moment and then continued with a much calmer voice. Her features suddenly softened and George was startled to see that Daphne's sister was really beautiful. She suddenly asked him: "You know I lost my parents when I was only ten years old, right?"

"Yes, I believe it was mentioned." was George's laconic answer.

"Well, I lived with my sister and my grandmother since that tragic day with them raising me as best as they could. It never occurred to me that I only troubled them as I always sneaked away, shouted at them, always disappointing them! I regret everything, I was so angry with those beasts who killed my parents and I vented on them, my sister and grandmother…" she touched her tattoo for a moment before continuing, "I thought they hated me and one day I ran away. They searched for me many days and nights and when they finally found me they both cried. I was so surprised by their actions back then…." Eileen's eyes looked as if they were going to water but she blinked furiously and continued.

"I realized that, whatever happens, they loved me, and whatever they done to me was because they cared." she looked up at George, "Family is one of the best things… NO, I should rephrase that statement. The best thing a person will ever have, and you should never, ever let them go."

As soon as she said that she stood from her place and made to exit the kitchen.

"Eileen, I…" George abruptly said but the younger girl didn't turn around.

"Shut up, you idiot…" she just said in what sounded like a shaky tear-filled voice and disappeared with a pop.


	14. Unexpected visitor

We were different in some ways yet the same.

Two entities with the identical physical features but with slightly different emotional makeup.

We were two human beings. And yet together we made one complete whole.

As contradictory as it sounds, that was a fact. And we liked it like that. 

It made us unique.

Now there is only me. Unfinished, imperfect, not whole no longer complete."

It's like when you cut an apple in half. You know it's still an apple, but yet again is not whole. It's incomplete and the perfection it had when it was round had vanished. 

I suppose my family can't understand what it feels like; to suddenly face the world on your own. My mother, my father, my brothers they had been born alone. I was not. He had always been with me.

I understand it's difficult for them to comprehend but I would still like them to see me as Fred's twin.

Not just George.

I want them to see us as a set. To understand what it feels like to lose the other half of your soul. 

Is that so hard to comprehend?

--

George watched the muggle television in Daphne's apartment with fascination. It still amazed him how the muggles managed to put those small people behind the glass and command them to talk non-stop as soon as someone pushed that red on button. George had wondered what those mini-men and mini-women did when the screen was black. He had tried to find out and two days before had tried to blow the device away. Daphne's and Eileen's shouts would be impressed on his mind forever. He thought that Fred would have liked to see one of these televisions….

He wasn't concentrating upon the program that was blaring away in front of him though as he was mulling over some facts in his mind about his special relationship as a twin or rather what it was like.

There was George and there was also Fred.

It had been that way from birth. They were never that far from each other till...

George shook his head in an effort to prevent that particular thought from finishing. His mind wandered around with half thoughts and jumbled memories as he tried to sort out his feelings of abandonment or rather being left behind. His fears, his anger and sadness were swirling around and strangely enough he could sense that Fred though gone in body was nearby in spirit.

George suddenly stared with annoyance at the little man who was singing comically off-key inside the television box and pushed the off button on the remote control like Daphne had taught him to do.

It was unfair that…

The thought died there. His mind didn't let him fantasize further but his body knew what he was going to say anyway, as his stomach tightened and his heart started to beat faster.

He had secretly promised Daphne he should stop, stop pitying himself as Fred had died seven years ago. He should stop mourning. It didn't make any sense to continue.

George wanted to believe those words so badly it actually hurt to realize he was deceiving himself immensely. As much as she encouraged him to stop grieving and move on with his life he couldn't quite do it... not yet. He knew that Fred died seven years ago. He did really he did, but he himself didn't remember that Fred had died till recently.

He understood that she really didn't mean to be insensitive to his feelings but she wasn't a twin herself and he doubted if anybody could understand except for someone who was also a twin. The mourning would never stop. Let it be seven years more, thirty years more, no matter how much time passed he would miss Fred in the same identical way.

George knew that, deep inside; he will always hope against hope that his twin would turn up in the same room as him at any moment.

George wondered, a fantasy if you please. But if he was to suddenly imagine to have seen Fred walking around and talking to someone, somewhere, could he believe that he was alive again?

George tried his best to convince himself that he wouldn't be surprised by the scene he was imagining and wouldn't think, not even for a minute, that Fred was dead and that he couldn't walk freely around as if nothing had happened. Not now, not ever, right? After all at the Burrow he really saw and heard his brother as his memories returned and he looked real. Didn't he? He did, he was... 

He believed it was possible to visualize Fred going along life's path as he always had because to him, Fred was still very much alive. In his memories Fred would be always near him full with energy, maybe laughing, maybe joking, but alive.

It was as simple as that.

Even as George wondered if he was going crazy with his obsessive thoughts, he really wished he could see his brother again. The reflection in the mirror may be the exact physical duplicate in every way but it wasn't Fred. Fred was unique.

He had always been special.

Even with customers Fred had a way of doing that made them all come back again. Business with someone like Fred was easy. George was sure didn't have the same charm. He was more serious in what he did.

He was more serious in everything.

Even in death Fred had smiled until the end.

George remembered his twin's peaceful face. That brilliant smile.

Suddenly the front door of the apartment opened and Eileen entered the living room more arrogantly than ever, interrupting all the thoughts George had as if cutting them in half.

Since their first confrontation four days before, the young girl hadn't talked to him again making George somewhat happy about that change of behaviour on Eileen's part. Yet again the twin was frustrated by her antics and more than once had tried to talk to the dark haired girl again about the matter with no success.

This time however something changed. Because Eileen was looking at him now, straight in the eyes, with the most serious expression George had ever seen on her face. She spoke with authority. 

"You have a visitor."

George blinked stupidly at her and his eyes immediately moved to a point behind Eileen's back, where a man George knew all to well, stood almost shyly in the doorway. George's eyes widened as he abruptly stood up, and looked at Eileen in disbelief.

"He is here as my guest" the young girl said with a glare and then smirked at him arrogantly before rearranging her features into a pleasant look as she turned her head around and smiled sweetly at the man behind her. "Oh, please! Have a seat!"

"Thank you, Eileen dear…" the man said and looked at George for an instance before making his way cautiously in the apartment. George stared warily as his father sat on the spot where George had been minutes before. His father smiled at him, his eyes showing an emotion George couldn't quite comprehend.

"I'll leave you two alone, for now." Eileen said once she was sure there wouldn't be an immediate blow-up and disappeared from sight so Mr. Weasley could talk to his estranged son in relative privacy.

Mr. Weasley was happy to see his son again as he took George's hand and motioned him to sit beside him on the couch. Almost as if under a spell George sat back down, opened mouthed and stared at his father's face with inquisitiveness.

Mr. Weasley felt a little uneasy as George stared at him and it took him some moments to speak. When he did the question was asked gently with concern.

"How are you, my son?"

George's eyes shot up to his fathers face, taken aback. Mr. Weasley always had such an effect to him. As much as George would have wanted to scream, even shout at him to get out of the house and hurt him over and over again, he couldn't.

Mr. Weasley waited for a minute and sensing that George wasn't going to answer, he sighed.

"I'm glad to see you are healthy" he said as if George had answered his question. George nodded once and sat on the furthest end of the couch, avoiding his father's eyes with all his might.

"We are all worried about you." Mr. Weasley continued to say while George remained cold and totally silent. "I came here to say that all of us are terribly sorry for…."

"I don't care if you are sorry or not. It's my life you messed with." George interrupted his father abruptly with agonized pain plainly evident in his voice.

Mr. Weasley sighed again and sat back uneasily on the couch. His eyes travelled around the place as he tried to think and stopped on the television before them. He smiled a little.

"Oh, a muggle device!" he said and then noticed the remote control lying almost casually beside him.

"Dad." George said shortly. Mr. Weasley noticed his son's knuckles had turned white as he clenched his fists that were straight down at his sides. "Please go away…" the younger man whispered behind gritted teeth.

Mr. Weasley took a moment to gaze at his son's angry face and moved decisively a little to his left, nearer to George. He felt his son flinch as he reached up and touched the boy's intensely irate heated face.

"You think we don't understand, do you?" Mr. Weasley asked in a soothing gentle tone as he let his hand drop back down. "And maybe we don't but we can image the pain you are going through. Fred was my son too, George. I miss him so much it hurts to even say his name." 

"So why...?" George started but stopped before completing his sentence. 

"Nevertheless" Mr. Weasley continued on as if nothing was amiss. "We knew that you would miss him more than anyone of us did. Molly has often referred to that special bond that exists between twins. It's so strong and mysterious, she always said especially when talking about her brothers Fabian and Gideon and after you and Fred were born."

George looked down at the floor with a mixture of confusion and disbelief even as he found himself strangely compelled to listen to what his father had to say.

"We wanted you to be happy." Mr. Weasley said. "After your attempt to do away with yourself at the time we thought it was the only way to keep you alive and happy but we were wrong." he continued, "Even with the memory of Fred erased from your memory you continued to remain distant. Acting not quite yourself even then. I guess that is because of the tight close bond that exists between twins."

"I…" George said and finally looked up at his father's tired, poignantly distressed face. 

"Before I go I want to give you something" Mr. Weasley said tonelessly while searching through his pockets. "Something we should have given you long ago but were afraid to."

"Because of my depression." George finished the phrase for him and watched with bewildered confusion as Mr. Weasley took out a letter. The younger redheaded looked closely at his father before taking the letter from Mr. Weasley's hands. He felt his heart beat speed up and pound against his chest. He had a feeling that there was something important in that piece of paper, something meant only for him.

George cautiously opened the letter, afraid of what it might contain. He looked over at his father once more and then proceeded to read.

_Dear George,  
_  
George's heart stopped. It was Fred's handwriting that glared up at him from the parchment.

_Well, I feel a little weird writing this letter. It's just a little out of character on my part, you know? But after the talk we had last night, after all the things you said yesterday, your fear of dying or of losing one of us, it made me think. I know I told you that none of us was going to die, but this is a war after all. We can be certain that there are uncertainties as to who survives and who doesn't. So I decided to write this letter._

If you are reading this, it means I'm dead and you have searched through my things to pack and put them in the attic or something. I hope mum does not read this, you know how she is about her own fears of losing more members of her family to this evil.  
  
_Mum if you are reading this letter _PLEASE_ stop now__! It's not for you__!  
_

George let out a chuckle and suddenly realized he had been silently crying.

_Well, anyway, it doesn't matter. Probably as soon as Harry kills that snake like face I'll rip this letter to pieces. I'm afraid you'll find it and make fun of me for ages to come. I can already picture the scene.  
_  
_Heh, I'm already embarrassed._

_But if I do die. Well, if I'm dead and you are reading this I hope you aren't crying for me. I hope you are moving on with your life and taking care of the shop. Please live on and marry, have wonderful babies and teach them what it is to be a real troublemaker. Let the tradition go on!!  
_  
_I'm telling you this because if you were the one to die (I pray everyday for that not to happen) I… To be honest I really don't know what I would do either._

I can't imagine a life without you. And I don't want to imagine it.  


_At least I want to make sure you will liv__e well and continue on with our dream to run the shop and continue to create new pranks and bring happiness into the world._

Please remember me but don't dwell upon my death. It happened and I am sure that I'll be at peace; or I will be so long as I know you will move on into the future.

Yes, I hoped that death will never happen to either of us, but if it had to be I prefer it to have happened to me. You must live your life to the full for both of us.

Damn, this letter is harder to write than I imagined but I hope you get what I'm trying to say. Please, George. Don't cry for me too much, okay?

Ah, and before I forget. Please polish my grave everyday and if you have to bring flowers, well, let them be white. No sparkly colors, thank you.

But most of all inform the ministry I want a day of the year to be in my honour.

1 April is okay. So they'll honour you too.

Fred.  
  
Choking back the tears that threatened to overcome him, George couldn't help a slight chuckle slip from his now trembling mouth and smiled wistfully as he to keep the sudden mixture of emotions that was threatening to overwhelm him to himself.

"Fred, you are so pathetic…" he whispered then looked further down the parchment to the Ps that was written below Fred's name.

_Ps. you think I'm pathetic. Right? Gotcha!_

Mr. Weasley heard his son's slight laugh and smiled a little as he hoped that somehow Fred's letter might help heal the rift between George and his family. Then silently he stood up and soundlessly disappeared from Daphne's apartment leaving George to read ad ponder the meanings of his dearly beloved twin's last words.


	15. The wedding

_1st June  
_

Daphne studied her reflection in the mirror, checking her makeup one last time before turning to George, who was staring down at a little piece of paper in his hands. She then exchanged looks with her sister who was standing with a pair of shoes in her hands in the far corner of the room. Eileen shrugged and returned to her own preparations.

"George…" Daphne suddenly asked. She wanted to make sure that this was what George really wanted. "Are you sure…?"

George's head shot up from reading Ginny's invitation and gazed at her for a moment as if he had been awoken suddenly from deep slumber. George didn't answer immediately and then glanced back down at the paper for the slightest of moments, before smiling softly to himself.

"Yeah…" he said, "She is my little sister, after all…"

On hearing the tenderness and love evident in George's soft reply Daphne smiled and stood up from her place before the mirror.

"We must hurry…" she said, "Or the wedding is going to start without us!"

"I don't know why I'm coming!" Eileen complained, "They don't even know me!"

"Yeah, I'm wondering why they would want to meet you too…" George said jokingly.

Eileen shot him a look of annoyance and _hmph_ed. "Bastard…" she whispered and crossed her arms before her chest as she glowered at George who was smirking.

"Eileen!" Daphne exclaimed warningly.

"Anyway, go ahead you two…" George said and placed the invitation in Daphne's hands. "I… I need to do something first…"

Daphne's looked into his warm brown eyes worried for a moment that he was slipping back into the melancholy that had very nearly consumed him. She then realized what it was he had to do and gave him a gentle kiss of encouragement.

Eileen pointed a finger accusingly at him. "Aha! I knew it!" she said.

Not wanting to make any comments to the impertinent young witch, George just _tsk_ed at her and without another word he disappeared from sight with a _pop_.

"Where the heck…!" Eileen said with confusion and looked at her sister, in search of answers.

Daphne stared at the point George had disappeared for a moment, deep in thought, then nodded. "He will probably never get over this…" whispered the older woman to herself. Then realization as to the meaning of what had transpired stung Eileen.

"Oh…" she muttered and then said quietly, "Let's go then…

There was no one else in sight as George apparated into the graveyard and strode up to his brothers grave.

George stared at the tombstone before him, but, unlike some weeks ago, he wasn't crying as he read over and over again his brother's name engraved on it. He smiled a little at the white flowers he clutched in his right hand. Slowly the smile turned into a grin as he carefully put them on the grace.

"Here…" he suddenly said, "As you wished… no sparkly colours…"

"That's really… _caring_ from you…" ,

"Yeah, I know…" George said grinning, not looking back at the spectre that had spoke. "I'm still a good brother, unlike other gits who dared die without even say goodbye!"

"So, I'm not a good brother anymore!" Fred responded, "I'm hurt, George! I'm really hurt!"

George chuckled and wanted nothing more to turn around and see his brother once again. He didn't turn around to look, as he was afraid that if he did Fred would disappear, forever.

"I'm glad you are going to our little sister's wedding…" Fred said after a few moments of silence.

"I thought they were going to marry as soon as they graduated…" George said, "Harry is too shy, really!"

"Yeah, he is, isn't he?" Fred said.

Silence reigned again and George felt his lungs shrink. "You know…" he suddenly said, "Here is just too… quiet… without you around…"

"Yeah, I feel lonely up there too…" Fred said, "But… don't you dare…" his voice suddenly sounded threatening.

"Don't worry, it's okay, I'll wait!" George said and he couldn't take it anymore. He turned around and faced his long lost brother for the last time. He smiled sadly at Fred. "But… I'm going to miss you so much 'till then…"

"Me too, George…" he hugged his brother. "Me too…"

George hugged his brother back and suddenly he realized he was slowly hugging air. He was alone again. George stared at the tombs lined up before him and for a moment he thought he had been dreaming.

He felt so alone as a sudden breeze fooled around with his red hair.

Alone. Alone….

The thought echoed in his mind but it was different somehow as he turned and placed his hand once more upon the gravestone and said: "Till we meet again."

With a strangely lighter feeling in his heart George stepped back and disapparated away.

--

George noticed that he had arrived just in time as he appeared at the Burrow's back garden and spotted where Daphne and Eileen were sitting. Daphne motioned at him to hurry up and George looked for a moment at Harry who was trying hard not to show his nervousness in front of the large gathering and an unusually calm looking Ron standing at the front of the marquee with the wizard who was to perform the ceremony. The two of them spotted him immediately and smiled a little at him, almost shyly. George just nodded.

He took note that on a table near the front was a remembrance vase of flowers with a portrait sized photo of Harry's mother and father who were watching the proceedings with anticipation.

He sat down near Daphne, who took his hand in hers. They looked at each other for a moment when the music started. Everyone swivelled around in their seat to watch expectantly for the Bride and her escort as they entered the entrance of the marquee. Excitement coursed through Victoire's body as she stood in front of her Aunt and Grandfather waiting for the music to begin so she could go ahead of them with her basket of flowers.

Ginny was feeling a curiously combined sense of finality and renewal as she took her father's proffered arm. Today was the last day of her singleness and the beginning of what she desired to be a long happy and fruitful life with Harry Potter.

"Are you ready my dear?" Arthur asked as he tucked her hand under his arm. He looked lovingly at his youngest child who was going to be married today and a sense of loss filtered through his mind and just as quickly left while Ginny composed herself for the walk up to the front where Harry was waiting anxiously with her brother Ron as his best man.

With a deep intake of breath and a smile that radiated happiness Ginny looked up at her father and nodded. "Yes dad."

"Lead the way, Victoire." Arthur said graciously to his little granddaughter, who had been waiting impatiently for the wedding to start. The tiny girl started down the long purple carpet that sat between the rows of flower bedecked chairs.

Ginny walked down the aisle looking radiantly happy, looking very beautiful in her wedding dress with her father proudly at her side. Suddenly George and Ginny exchanged looks. Ginny smiled broadly at him and winked and George couldn't do but smile a little back. Mr. Weasley looked over at him and it seemed like he was ready to cry with joy at seeing his son.

George felt a surge of emotion as he watched them continue up to the front where Arthur placed Ginny's hand in Harry's then stepped back and walked over to sit with Molly who was dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief as she acknowledged to herself that her little girl was finally grown up and now a woman in her own right.

"Ladies and gentleman…" the officiating tufty-haired wizard said with authority, "We are gathered here…"

While the ceremony continued, George's eyes travelled around the place and he was startled to see Percy look right back at him. As soon as Percy noticed George staring back, the older boy fidgeted in his seat and then quickly faced the front where Ginny and Harry were repeating their vows to love, honour and cherish each other for as long as they both should live.

George knew it wasn't proper to do what he was going to do in that moment but his legs seemed to move on their own as he shot a meaningful look at Daphne before standing up.

He quietly made his way toward Percy. No one saw him pass by, as they were too absorbed in watching the wedding ceremony. Percy looked at him a little frightened.

George sat beside him and said: "Ginny is really beautiful, isn't she?"

Percy looked at him a little startled and then said: "Yeah, she is…".

George felt a twinge of discomfort himself as he sat by his brother who was waiting uneasily for him to say or do something.

"Percy..." George said quietly, "You did what you thought was right and even though I didn't think so at the time, I have to tell you..."

Percy turned his head and watched George nervously.

"Thank you."

Percy's eyes widened as he realized that George was being sincere.

"I apologize for ... "George began to say as Percy shushed him and shook his head.

"Forget about it George," whispered Percy "Lets just enjoy the ceremony and later after everybody has gone we can talk."

George's eyebrow rose slightly then he smiled and nodded.

"...then I declare you bonded for life." said the tufty-haired wizard who then raised his wand high over the heads of Harry and Ginny. A shower of silver stars erupted from the tip and fell down spiralling around the now entwined figures.

An explosion of chimes and birdsong filled the air as the guests applauded while gold and silver balloons floated up into the air, some bursting and releasing rice and heart shaped confetti as the newlyweds made their way back down the aisle after being presented as Mr. And Mrs Potter.

Daphne was looking around in awe after everybody had been asked by the tufty-haired wizard to stand and the marquee vanished as the seats rose into the air and a canopy appeared supported by golden poles with a glorious view of the orchard and surrounding countryside.

Outside the marquee butterflies and honeybees hovered nearby around the hedgerow. It was if nature herself was celebrating along with the wizarding folk.

A lake of molten gold spread out from the center and formed a gleaming dance floor; the chairs gently returned to gather around small white clothed tables that appeared with brightly coloured flowers as centrepieces.

The musicians who were already set up on the podium nearby played a waltz which Harry and Ginny started to dance to and then Arthur and Molly followed as they were not only Ginny's parents but were representing Harry's parents whose photographic images where dancing together within their frame.

Couple by couple joined in as the musicians played on while waiters appeared bearing silver trays bearing various beverages and theirs with tarts, sandwiches and many delicacies to serve to those who were sitting down.

"This wedding is so beautiful." Daphne said as George took her hand and guided her to the dance floor. He nodded, smiled in agreement, and drew her closer as they began to weave gently to the delicate strains of music that floated gently through the air.

Molly sighed with happiness as she leaned closer into Arthur's shoulder and whispered: "Thank you Arthur."

Arthur smiled and snuggled her closer, not asking what she was thanking him for as he knew why. He also considered it had been well worth the effort to mend the rift between George and the remaining family members. He mentally  
thanked Fred for the letter he had written before he died on that fateful last  
day of the war just in case he didn't make it.

"Your welcome dad!", a voice that sounded suspiciously like Fred spoke within his mind and he glanced over at George and Daphne who were oblivious to those around them as they danced. Arthur felt even happier as he realized that Fred was present even though he could not be seen.

George and Daphne finally made it back to one of the tables to sit, talk and watch everyone celebrating the marriage between Harry and Ginny.

Eileen, who didn't really know anybody there except for Daphne and George was feeling restless as she drank some butterbeer and ate some of the food offered by the waiters who were unobtrusively serving the guests who were alternatively sitting down and dancing while visiting with each other while congratulating the newlyweds and the family.

Noticing that George had stopped dancing for a while and Daphne was dancing somewhere in the vicinity with his father, she got up and walked over to where George was coddling a shot of firewhisky while listening to the music and the conversations around him.

"Would you like to dance with me?"

The question shocked George and looked up at Eileen as if she had gone mad: "What?"

"Oh, come on!" she said, "I'm bored! Weddings have that kind of effect on me!"

George snorted and started to comment, "If you really are that bored…"

"So?" Eileen said petulantly. "Do you want to dance with me or not?"

"Okay…" he growled as he stood up, followed her to the dance floor and started dancing with her.

"I'm glad you came back to your family…" Eileen said suddenly and George looked down at her.

"Well, I'm still mad at them!" he declared as they glided across the dance floor.

"Oh, snap out of it, already!" Eileen then laughed and George laughed too.

Suddenly he felt something pull at his trousers and George looked down at little Victoire, smiling broadly at him. She was clutching something in her little hands.

"Hi, Victoire!" George said and he and Eileen stopped dancing. The little girl looked up at them and exclaimed:

"Look! Look what I found in your room, uncle George!"

"What?" he said and the girl showed the photo in her hands.

"Two uncle Georges!" she said, amazed at what she found. George took the photo in his hands and looked down at a photo of him and Fred when they were thirteen being scolded by their mother. Merlin knew what they done that day…!

"No, Victoire…" George said and crouched down at the girl's eye level. He pointed at one of the boys and said: "This is your uncle George…" then he pointed at the other boy, "But this is my brother, my twin, your uncle Fred…"

Victoire nodded, even if she didn't understand what 'twin' meant just yet.

"Oh, I want to meet him, uncle George!" she exclaimed happily. George smiled reflectively at her and gave her a hug.

"I know he would have wanted that too…" He told her as he did his best to keep his voice from breaking with emotions that swirled around inside him as he knew that Victoire didn't really understand that she would never get to meet her uncle Fred.

"Hey, I'm bored here!" Eileen suddenly exclaimed and George looked up at her with annoyance as he patted Victoire on the head.

"You have to ruin everything, don't you?" he snapped as he stood up and glowered at the impossibly smug witch.

"That's why I'm here…" Eileen said with a smirk.

George responded in a slightly sarcastic tone of voice.

"And here I thought you didn't want to come…".


	16. Epilogue

_A few years later  
_  
Ron and George were busy preparing the new displays for the shop windows when an owl came by with a message for George. He handed a few treats to the owl as he took the parchment off its leg. Unrolling it George read the message and gasped with excitement and panic.

Ron jumped down from where he was stacking the newest selection of pranks that George had developed and walked over quickly to his brother's side.

"Hey George is that what I think it is?" he asked as George paled, smiled weakly and nodded. "Well we better hurry and get over to Saint Mungo's like five minutes ago."

George had an urge to speak to Fred and tell him that he was going to be an uncle, then once again the fact that Fred would no longer be able to enjoy the family events like weddings, babies and all the other occasions hit him. A sense of emptiness rose in a wave over him as Ron called over to Verity that they were going to leave now for Saint Mungos as Daphne was already there with the rest of the family.

Ron tugged on George's arm and said, "Come on then, you know how anxious women folk get at this time."

George crumpled the parchment in his hand and stuffed it into the pocket of his magenta coloured robe as he followed his little brother out into the street. His thoughts both sad and happy mingled together as they made their way to the Leaky Cauldron where they would then enter Muggle London and after that to an abandoned department store called Purge and Dowse Ltd where they would talk to the dummy dressed in outdated styles and then walk through the window when there was no muggles in sight.

That sense of emptiness which came and went whenever George thought of Fred never totally disappeared. He knew it never would, even when he had his memories of Fred wiped from his mind it had been sitting there.

It had become an integral part of him.

As much as he tried to hide the fact from the others, everyone could see the sadness that lurked behind that twinkle in his eyes. But no longer had anyone felt any fears that George would attempt to put an end to his own life again, even if they had been a little restless and fearful at first of what would happen when George first remembered Fred.

It had taken time but George seemed to somehow found the courage to go on alone, without his twin, his best friend into the future.

No one knew what made him change his mind on the matter, Arthur suspected it was the letter Fred had wrote and he had given George, but they didn't wonder about it much, as they were just plain happy to see George smiling again.

Ginny knew that the assumption that Fred himself was behind all of it was probably true from those mysterious smiles her father gave to her when she asked him on the matter. She didn't inquire much, though as everything was fine now and she did not want to disturb the calmness and serenity that had finally returned to the family.

Cradling little James in her arms she suddenly wondered where George was. Didn't they send an owl to him? Why was he so late?

James started to get restless and cry so Harry immediately took him in his arms to play a little with him. Ginny watched the scene with fascination before she heard a loud obnoxious sounding voice.

"Where the…" insults, "…is…" more insults, "…he?"

"Eileen!" Percy exclaimed before anyone else could, "There are little children here!"

Eileen shot the older boy a nasty look but didn't retort. When she decided to stare down the white halls of St. Mungo's hospital instead of at the group of redheads, Percy finally breathed a sigh of relief as he was getting somewhat off with her attitude and he really didn't want to get into an argument today.

James, even if he was too little to comprehend what really was happening, found the scene absolutely hilarious and started to laugh like a crazy. The little boy's laughter cut through the tension like a rainbow after a storm.

"Oh, my little boy!" Molly suddenly said and went over to the spot where Harry was. Harry smiled gratefully at Mrs. Weasley and gladly placed the boy gently in her arms. James giggled and snuggled up to his grandmother happily as he knew she loved him dearly and would give him all the cuddling and attention he could ever wish for.

Eileen was continually pacing around, biting her nails, but Percy didn't dare to say anything more for she wasn't really doing anything at the moment that would be considered rude, only _slightly_ annoying.

Suddenly Mr. Weasley told her politely yet with a slight edge in his voice:

"Relax, Eileen dear, he'll be here…"

She stopped for a moment and looked at him intently. She then nodded, more to herself than anyone else, and sat down near Ginny.

Meanwhile there was a mild commotion that could be heard from down the long hallway.

"I told you that this was the way!"

George's voice suddenly boomed around them and everyone turned around to see him running toward them with Ron immediately behind him.

"I was sure it was the other way around!" Ron said, "Jeez, George! Don't bite!"

George shot him a dirty look and then noted the presence of the rest of the family.

"Not all the family are present…" George whispered to himself, thinking once again of Fred "… Yet it is as if it was the day Ginny gave birth…"

"What did you say?" Ron inquired.

"Nothing, dearest brother…" George said, still angry that Ron had managed to hold them up by not only going down the wrong corridor but accidentally getting off on the wrong floor in their anxiety to arrive on time.

"Where were you, you bloody idiot!" Eileen snarled as she abruptly stood up and grabbed him roughly by the collar of his shirt.

George glowered at her and pushed her hand away: "Lay off Eileen. It's not my fault, okay?" George spat at her, "Now! Where is she?"

"That way!" Eileen practically shouted as she pointed to a closed door behind them.

George didn't wait to hear anything more and ran over to the room where his wife was giving birth to their first child.

Minutes passed.

Hours.

Ginny and Harry along with Molly and Arthur were watching little James who had been set down at Molly's feet to play and was now clutching her robe as he tried to show her how the toy hippogriff he was playing with flapped its tiny wings. Eileen was tapping her foot impatiently as she leaned against the wall and stared at the others who were whispering excitedly among themselves while the busy medinurses and healers smiled at them as they passed by.

And then the miracle of life happened.

In the room where Daphne and George were, suddenly a cry filled the air. Daphne, exhausted, searched frantically for her newborn child with her eyes, whereas George felt his heart speed up when the medinurse finished the child's first check-up and finally approached them with the tiny bundle in her arms.

"Congratulations! You are now parents of a very healthy baby boy!" the medinurse said with a kind smile as she put the baby in his mother's arms.

George couldn't take his eyes off his first son who was now cradled in his mother's arms.

"I'm an uncle... father!" he exclaimed.

Daphne looked at him with gentle amusement and started to laugh joyfully: "We have a son!"

"He's so handsome…" George said and kissed his wife on the lips. Suddenly he felt baby fingers clutch his thumb with extraordinary force for a newborn child and George's attention immediately went to him.

Blue eyes looked up at him.

And George stared, fascinated, because those were eyes he knew all too well. There was in them a sparkle George had seen in only one person before. And George couldn't do anything else but smile softly at fate as he remembered something.

_"But his spirit will always be with you and the ones he loved…"_ an old lady had said to him once and finally he understood the meaning behind those words.

Fred was alive in him. In his and Daphne's new baby.

Daphne whispered something to her baby and George suddenly was pulled from his thoughts back down to earth.

"What should we call him?" George asked, "We never really made a firm decision about a name before…"

Daphne thought for a minute and watched her thumb being pulled with force in the baby's mouth.

"Fred…" she said, "We should call Fred…"

George looked over at her, a little startled, then smiled with the realization that she understood him and his unspoken wishes.

"Is the child born yet?" a muffled yet familiar voice asked hopefully from behind the closed doors. "May we come inside?"

George suddenly looked up and said proudly as he strode over and swung open the doors to let everyone into the room to see the newest addition to the Weasley family.

"Yeah… he's here…!".

**The end****  
**


	17. AN

**Author's notes: **

Well, as you can see the story is finished! I feel so sad in this moment, because I really loved writing this story. But all good things must come to an end, don't you think?

Anyway, this story was first of all written because I felt so upset, when finishing the last Harry Potter book, with Rowling for not telling us what happened to George after Fred had died, leaving us with only a "He never gets over it" to satiate our curiosity, and second of all at her decision for killing such a wonderful character that was Fred Weasley.

So to "fill in the gaps" I started writing 'Do I know you?'. I hope you guys were satisfied with my work. :)

I know things really didn't go this way and that George married Angelina in the end. The reason I didn't put Angelina was, first, for the plot. It seemed _awful _to write that even his girlfriend hid Fred's memory from George for seven years and so I decided to put Daphne in her place instead. And second (and I'm really sorry if there are any George/Angelina fans out there) I really don't like the pairing. Don't throw daggers at me if you do! It's just that I have this feeling that the one Angelina really loved was _Fred_. The fact that she marries George in the end seems to me just a way for her to substitute her real love with someone who is identical to him: George. I didn't like what this implied.

Maybe I'm wrong but I hope my confessions don't make you change your mind and your feelings for this story and her author. I apologize if I offended any of you, with anything I may have written. I didn't do it on purpose!

But now I should really get to the point.

I want to say a big THANK YOU to wingnutdawn for practically writing the story with me! Thank you for the help you gave me and the tips. **You are fantastic**!

Thanks to EVERYONE who read my story till the very end and liked it, or even loved it! Thanks to ALL THE REVIEWERS! They gave me courage to go on!

THANK YOU!

_This is in memory of Fred Weasley, __1978-1998. We really NEVER forget you!_

_And to George Weasley, who really deserves some happiness. _

**Happymood **


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